EU proposal on adequate minimum wages should be welcomed, not opposed, by Malta
Moviment Graffitti is strongly in favour of the EU proposal for a directive on an adequate minimum wage; a proposal that has long been advocated for by European trade unions. While the proposal is a good start, Moviment Graffitti thinks that the directive should go even further and ensure that minimum wages are equal to a living wage in each Member State.
The Maltese Government’s reaction urging for this directive to become only a recommendation is alarming. The European Commission’s impact assessment on the adequacy of minimum wages has shown that Malta’s minimum wage is strikingly low. This notwithstanding the fact that Malta has repeatedly boasted of its impressive economic growth. The directive states that for a minimum wage to be adequate, it should at least be 50% of the country’s average wage and 60% of the country’s median wage. In Malta, these figures stand at only 38% and 44% respectively. Compared to the rest of Europe, Malta has the 4th worst rating when it comes to the minimum wage as a percentage of its median wage.
The Maltese Government itself has admitted that the minimum wage is not at a suitable level by providing a Covid emergency wage supplement of €800, an amount higher than the minimum wage. This effectively means that, even in an emergency, people cannot live with less than €800. However, the Government then expects people, regularly working 40 hours a week, to live with less than that amount in normal circumstances.
Moviment Graffitti believes that the Government should, at least, raise the minimum wage up to the adequacy level mentioned in the directive. This will not only boost the economy with much-needed spending, but will also increase the pay for thousands of workers who earn slightly higher than the minimum wage. Moviment Graffitti still believes that the minimum wage should be equal to the living wage as every worker deserves to live a decent life no matter what work they do.
Il-Moviment Graffitti jaqbel bis-sħiħ mal-proposta tal-UE biex ikun hemm direttiva dwar il-paga minima; proposta li ilha tiġi promossa mill-unions tal-ħaddiema Ewropej. Filwaqt li l-proposta hija bidu tajjeb, il-Moviment Graffitti jemmen li d-direttiva għandha saħansitra tmur oltre u tara li l-paga minima f’kull Stat Membru tkun daqs living wage.
Ir-reazzjoni tal-Gvern Malti li d-direttiva għandha tkun biss rakkomandazzjoni hija allarmanti. L-istudju tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea dwar l-impatt ta’ pagi minimi mhux adegwati wera li l-paga minima ta’ Malta hija partikolarment baxxa. Dan minkejja l-fatt li Malta il-ħin kollu tiftaħar bit-tkabbir ekonomiku tagħha. Id-direttiva tgħid li biex paga minima tkun adegwata, trid mill-inqas tkun 50% tal-paga medja u 60% tal-dħul medjan fil-pajjiż. F’Malta dawn il-figuri jammontaw biss għal 38% u 44% rispettivament. Imqabbla mal-kumplament tal-Ewropa, Malta għandha r-raba’ l-agħar rata fejn tidħol il-paga minima bħala perċentwal tad-dħul medjan.
Il-Gvern Malti stess ammetta li l-paga minima mhux qiegħda f’livell aċċettabbli billi waqt il-pandemija tal-Covid, offra suppliment tal-paga ta’ €800, ammont ogħla mill-paga minima. Dan effettivament ifisser li, anki waqt emergenza, persuna ma tistax tgħix b’inqas minn €800. Madankollu l-Gvern imbagħad jippretendi li f’ċirkustanzi normali, meta persuna tkun qed taħdem 40 siegħa fil-ġimgħa fuq bażi regolari, tgħaddi b’ammont inqas minn hekk.
Il-Moviment Graffitti jemmen li l-Gvern għandu tal-inqas jgħolli l-paga minima għal-livell adegwat li ssemmi d-direttiva. Dan mhux biss jagħti spinta lill-ekonomija bl-infiq tant meħtieġ li jippermetti, imma wkoll ikun ifisser żieda fid-dħul ta’ eluf ta’ ħaddiema li jaqilgħu ftit iktar mill-paga minima. Il-Moviment Graffitti xorta jisħaq li l-paga minima għandha tkun fil-livell ta’ living wage għax kull ħaddiem u ħaddiema jistħoqqilhom li jgħixu ħajja diċenti, hu x’inhu x-xogħol li jagħmlu.
