[WATCH] Only 33.8% of workers are unionised

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President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca today expressed her disappointment that "only one third of workers are unionised in Malta."

A recent study carried out by the National Trade Union Forum on union membership and the people's perception on trade unionism shows that while 33.8% of workers are unionised, 18.4% were members in the past and 47.8 never joined a trade union.

1,512 people aged 15 to 64 residing in private dwellings in Malta were interviewed in what is the first exercise of its kind in Malta.

“The data offers unions a unique opportunity,” the president said, adding that the findings pinpoint the areas in which unions need to improve their work  

Pointing out that discrimination was among the main reasons given by women for joining unions, Coleiro Preca said that more research was needed to identify whether the discrimination was gender based.

Echoing an observation made by anthropologist and University of Malta Academic Staff Association representative Jean Paul Baldacchino, the President also underlined the need for deeper analysis on the employment of foreigners in Malta and their employment conditions.