ADDRESS BY THE HON DR LAWRENCE GONZI, DEPUTY, PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR SOCIAL POLICY, TO ILO CONFERENCE.

ADDRESS BY THE HON. DR LAWRENCE GONZI, DEPUTY, PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR SOCIAL POLICY, TO ILO CONFERENCE

Mr President, 

Allow me to start by making a brief reference to two points made by the Director General in the inauguration speech of this plenary session.

Firstly, the Maltese delegation subscribes to the statement made that the "criterion for success is not only growth or financial returns, but whether the global economy has been meeting people's needs". Malta strongly believes that this is the lythmus test of all policies, particularly in this age where technology has removed all sorts of natural and economic barriers, giving birth to what is today termed as globalisation. Technology is a tool which can help us achieve these aims as long as we understand that this is a tool which must be made available quickly to all peoples around the world. Otherwise we run the risk of creating an electronic chasm which will widen and deepen the differences, rather than bridge the gap.

Secondly, the Maltese delegation joins the Director General in expressing its firm commitment to cohesive tripartism. National and international experience continues to provide consistent proof that we can get to grips with the social challenges only if each group is committed to this task bringing its own indispensable contribution.

In this context, and in my capacity as Deputy Prime Minister of Malta and Minister for Social Policy, I would like to thank the ILO's concrete contribution to support my government's initiative to strengthen our national tripartite machinery. This is perhaps one of the most important initiatives which we have taken in recent years in order to reaffirm the need to place social dialogue at the basis of our programmes.

The challenges are indeed of substance, but my government strongly believes that the social partners' contribution in a reformed forum, can and will make a paradigm shift. The bottom line will not be limited to benefits achieved by the social partners themselves. It will be reflected in a better Quality of life for our citizens.

In this connection, a high-level tripartite conference of the 13 EU accession countries shall be organised in Malta in late September between the Ministry for Social Policy and the ILO. The objectives of this conference shall be to enhance the application of ILO and EU standards in the areas of employment and equal treatment of men and women by improving social dialogue.

Mr President,

Allow me to report also that rapid progress has been made in the critical area of occupational health and safety, with the publication of a new bill setting up an Occupational Health & Safety Authority and with the publication of four regulations in spring this year. These regulations establish minimum health and safety requirements in workplaces; provide for health and safety signs in places of work; protect pregnant workers from potentially hazardous activities and ensure adequate protection for young persons at work. The coming into force of these regulations will continue to secure workers' health, while enhancing the competitiveness and corporate reputation of compliant firms.

The process of updating our national labour and employment laws continues unabated. These laws are being upgraded to reflect the changing nature of work and employment relations, the removal of discrimination, the urgency for increased labour market flexibility, dispute resolution and collective bargaining. It is also proposed that European Union directives in the fields of labour law, worker participation rights, equal opportunities and social protection be incorporated into national legislation by virtue of the same legislative revision.

I reiterate my Government's belief in the primacy and potency of social dialogue. It is only by engaging in serious, regular and meaningful consultation that the resulting decision-making becomes effective and respectful of the, positions of the various interested parties. Employers'

Associations, trade unions and constituted bodies, including non-governmental organisations, all have a key role to play in the context of a pluralist democracy, and especially though not exclusively in the sphere of social policy.

But this role must be guided by some very important principles.

First, social dialogue must lead to those choices and decisions which are truly in the best interest of the country as a whole and not merely in the exclusive interest of one sector.

Secondly, it must subscribe to the rule of law and to the basic tenets of democracy. None of the social partners must ever condone action which is in blatant breach of democratic rules.

Thirdly, and most importantly, when dialogue fails to achieve consensus and resort is made to industrial action, then all parties must follow the accepted norms. Governments and employers must respect the workers' rights as long as these are exercised within the parameters of democratic rules and conventions, amongst which is the workers' obligation to guarantee the provision of essential services.

Anyone who flouts these basic rules makes a mockery of what this organisation stands for and harms his own cause.

Thank you