While all unions agree, in principle, about the need to set up a trade union council, they are still unable to find common ground on which to establish such an institution. A recent proposal by the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions to set up a trade union council was rejected by other trade unions.
Context
The Maltese trade union movement is divided into two main camps: the General Workers’ Union (GWU), which represents a cross-section of the Maltese workforce and more than 50% of Maltese unionised workers; and the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions (CMTU), which is an umbrella organisation encompassing 11 affiliated trade unions. The Union of United Workers (Union Haddiema Maghqudin, UHM), the largest union within the confederation, is a general union of similar proportions to GWU. A number of other unions that do not form part of these two organisations have recently joined forces by setting up a group, called FORUM, to voice their concerns.
Trade union rivalries
Inter-union relations among the three union associations has been a topical issue in the media, following the resignation of the CMTU president, John Bencini, after only one year in office. The debate was intensified by Mr Bencini’s statement that his resignation was not prompted by personal reasons, but came about as a result of his failure to bring CMTU closer to other unions and to foster unity within the confederation.
The newly elected CMTU president, William Portelli, on assuming office, tried to address the problems of union unity and cooperation by appointing a reform commission within the confederation to make recommendations and proposals aimed both at restructuring and enhancing the organisation’s effectiveness. A draft report from the commission has already been distributed to the confederation members; the final report was due to be drawn up by mid-June.
Proposal of trade union council
During a press interview, Mr Portelli divulged some of the points raised in the commission’s draft report. The main thrust of the report seems to involve an invitation to the other unions to join CMTU with the ultimate aim of forming a trade union council (TUC).
The main benefits envisaged in setting up a TUC were: enabling trade unions to speak with one voice at national and international level; offering the possibility of dealing internally with inter-union disputes; creating an environment conducive to a healthier discussion; and pooling resources for the training and education of trade union members.
Positions of the unions
While, in principle, GWU and FORUM agree about the need to set up a TUC, they did not show any enthusiasm for the specific proposal and have rejected it. The president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN), the largest trade union within FORUM, stated that they are reluctant to join a confederation that tends has affinities with a political party. Meanwhile, the GWU general secretary declared that his union has no intention of joining CMTU.
The policy adopted by the two largest trade union organisations towards the political parties in government or in opposition seems to be the main divisive issue among Maltese trade unions. Since its inception, GWU has always sympathised with the ideologies of the Malta Labour Party (MLP), currently the party in opposition. Both GWU and MLP share similar political agendas and often offer reciprocal support. CMTU was set up largely as a reaction to the relations between GWU and MLP, which were alleged to hinder free trade unionism. While CMTU professes no political allegiance, the official policies of its members often converge with those of the Nationalist Party (PN).
Commentary
The issue of setting up a TUC has been raised in the past in Malta. Efforts have been made, with the intervention of the British Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), to establish a consensual code of practice and dispute resolution mechanism among Maltese unions.
In general, the Maltese trade unions have harmonised their policies on a number of issues. However, inter-union relations, although not as bitter as in the past, remain strained. These relations do not seem to be conducive to the setting up of a TUC. Continuing to be suspicious of each other, the trade unions cannot find convergent ground on which to develop the high level of trust that is essential for the establishment of such an institution. The CMTU proposal may have been seen by the other two trade union organisations more as an offer of amalgamation rather than as a proposal to create a truly unifying force. The shift in market forces that may be threatening trade unionism has not yet mobilised unions to come together.
Saviour Rizzo, Centre for Labour Studies, University of Malta