Directive of ‘equal pay for equal work’ should be observed
Zminijietna - Voice of the Left extends its solidarity towards the ambulance drivers at Mater Dei Hospital and their colleagues at the Guardiamangia garage, who are engaged in an industrial dispute with the Ministry of Health on an “equal pay for equal work” issue.
Zminijietna agrees and sympathises with the position taken by the General Workers’ Union in favour of solidarity and equality among these workers.
Government should know that the European Directive 75/117/EEC and 2006/54/EC ‘equal pay for equal work’ was enforced in all the EU states to abolish discrimination between workers, where these were being paid less in both wages and benefits.
In Malta the directive is deliberately not being followed to the detriment of the workers. In this case it is the government, as an employer, that is not following the directive.
Government as an ‘employer’ should abide by the European directive ‘equal pay for equal work’ in dealing with his employees. The Government is again creating discrimination between its workers. The same can be said for the terms stipulated in Government tenders where the conditions of employment are not according to EU directive.
It is shameful to have a government that is ignoring European directives that ensure better working conditions and moves towards a more social Europe.
Zminijietna beliefs that the Government has to give example in the work environment where inequality and precarious work has become intolerable.
Many employers are still ignoring this directive; in fact wages are being related to production, the nature of work and gender and not with its provisions. Gross inequalities still exist and in some cases female employees are paid less than their male colleagues.
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