76 Chinese machine operators who are currently working in Malta were granted work permits on the strength of “pre-existing agreements” which had been signed before the Employment Training Corporation was set up.
Last week MaltaToday revealed that Leisure Clothing Ltd, one of the two Chinese manufacturing firms operating in Malta, intended to move its operations from its Corradino plant to a plant which will be vacated by textile company Bortex, after the latter laid off 113 Maltese workers due to foreign competitiveness pressure.
Leisure Clothing started operations in 1987 following an agreement between Malta and the Chongqing regional authorities in China.
For the past 20 years Bortex had sub-contracted work to Leisure Clothing, a company which currently employs 73 Chinese and 25 Maltese workers. Bortex plans to continue to subcontract work to Leisure Clothing which was not connected with the production line it will be closing down.
Sue Vella, Chief Executive of the Employment and Training Corporation cited “pre-existing agreements” signed before the ETC came into being and took responsibility for work permits in 2005, to justify the work permits issued for Chinese textile workers.
But Vella refused divulging any details on these agreements since the agreements were not signed by the ETC.
Work permits to foreigners are normally granted by ETC in those sectors experiencing a shortage of Maltese workers. Vella said “pre-existing agreements with a number of firms are issued in respect of their need for foreign nationals.”
According to Vella, in the case of the two firms employing Chinese workers “these agreements as to the number of Chinese expatriates have been observed.”
ETC’s records show that currently there are 51 machine operators employed on the assembly line and 25 other operators engaged in sewing working in two Chinese companies.
According to Vella permits for these workers were issued on various dates both before and after August 2005 when ETC assumed responsibility for work permits.
Asked whether Chinese machine operators are eligible for the same conditions enjoyed by Maltese workers in similar ranks, Director of Labour Noel Vella replied that the department is looking into this matter and will inform MaltaToday of developments in due course.
MaltaToday is informed that Chinese workers benefit from minimum conditions set by Maltese law, but their lodging expenses are deducted from their wages.
Currently a total of 367 Chinese workers are legally employed in Malta. Chinese workers only constitute 5% of all foreign workers employed in Malta. Apart from the 76 workers employed as machine operators and 16 others in the manufacturing sector, 127 other Chinese are employed in restaurants, 34 are employed in hotels and 17 work in massage and beauty parlours.

jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt

 

Clarification
The title “Bortex fires Maltese, hires Chinese” did not reflect the accurate content in the text of an article published in last week’s edition of MaltaToday Midweek. Bortex, which has announced it will be laying off workers due to foreign competitive pressures, never hired or intends to hire any Chinese workers. But for the past 20 years Bortex has sub-contracted work to Leisure Clothing Ltd, a company which currently employs 73 Chinese and 25 Maltese workers and intends to continue doing so in the future. MaltaToday is informed that in this way Lm2 million of output are exported annually from Malta.