Business Breakfast: The Living Wage – Different Perspectives

MEA Events 18/11/2010 - 18/11/2010

The Malta Employers’ Association organised a business breakfast on the 18 November 2010 about the issue of the Living Wage. The event was held at the Phoenicia Hotel and was attended by numerous employer representatives, members from constituted bodies, unions and political parties.

The seminar was chaired by Mr. Pierre Fava, MEA president and was addressed by Mr. Joseph Farrugia, MEA Director General and Dr. Joseph Muscat, Leader of the Partit Laburista. Both delivered their views about the implementation of the living wage and their presentations were followed by numerous interventions from the floor. Both speakers addressed the merits and demerits of having a living wage in Malta. Dr. Muscat stressed that any decision to implement the living wage will have to be done by consensus with the social partners, and that in any case the living wage will be a voluntary option open to employers. Mr. Farrugia explained that the concept will have to be defined more specifically to enable further discussion, and that, rather than an objective in itself, the living wage should be approached as a tool which can be compared to other means by which the standard of living in Malta can be increased. He added that the issue of relative poverty may be addressed through more focused measures targeting the less well off segment of the Maltese population.

The Association has prepared a position paper about the living wage and is being distributed to all its members. Click here to download the paper.

Venue: MEA
Contact: Admin
Email: admin@maltaemployers.com