Malta Employers Council Delegation Visits the President of the Republic of Malta

A delegation of Council members of the Malta Employers Association paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Myriam Spiteri Debono, the President of the Republic of Malta, at San Anton Palace.

The visit served as an official introduction of the newly appointed Council members of the Association which is this year commemorating a special milestone in its 60th Anniversary.

Malta Employers’ President, Mr Ivan Refalo highlighted the Association’s ongoing role in contributing to constructive and mature social dialogue, which has underpinned Malta’s strong record of industrial peace and collaboration between key social partners in recent years.

The delegation also took the opportunity to raise a number of pressing socio-economic challenges. Chief among them was the acute shortage of labour and the resulting reliance on foreign workers to meet workforce needs. While foreign talent remains crucial, Malta Employers underlined the need for policies and measures that support the rationalisation of the labour force, particularly in light of Malta’s declining birth rate, ageing population, and changing demographics.

An exchange of ideas revolved around the need for a continuous evolution in Malta’s education system to ensure it suits the needs of industry and arms students with transversal skills which significantly enhance their employability, resilience and value to the employer and the country.

Mr Refalo referred to the Association’s participation in the 113th meeting of the International Labour Organisation held at the United Nations building in Geneva. Here, Malta Employers reaffirmed its opposition to any form of mandatory trade union membership, reiterating that freedom of association remains a fundamental right protected by the Constitution and international labour conventions. He said that the Association was, of course, not contrary to membership in any trade union but opposed the concept of mandatory membership because this choice was to continue to rest solely with the employee and the employer and State must not get involved.

Finally, the Council members voiced their support for a clear long-term vision for Malta’s economy. They reported that they were actively engaged in discussions amongst the social partners leading to the articulation of Malta Vision 2050, promoting a framework that champions competitiveness, sustainability, resilience and inclusive growth.

The President of the Republic praised the Malta Employers for the role they perform in the socio-economic development of Malta and for its contribution to industrial peace in Malta thereby supporting the Islands’ competitiveness. She also showed appreciation for the Association’s maturity and broader insight in tackling various socio-economic matters.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Ivan Refalo commented on the spirit of shared understanding and mutual perspectives which was evident during the discussion. “The clear alignment of views we experienced today is the result of the balanced and responsible approach which is consistently adopted by Malta Employers in the long-term interest of our country” he concluded.