Social partners, political leaders, sign jobs declaration

Social partners and the heads of all three political parties this afternoon signed a declaration of intent towards pursuing active labour market policies as outlined by UHM's Jobs+ policy report. The report notes that just 0.15 per cent of Malta's GDP is currently spent on policies aimed at expanding the workforce and ensuring workers are highly skilled and employable. A proposal within the report calling for universal free childcare has received substantial media coverage over the past week. The meeting was characterised by trade unionists and top politicians welcoming the consensus among social partners, with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi noting industrial disputes were at an all-time low and Labour leader Joseph Muscat saying the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development had "come of age". Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio also welcomed the report, although he insisted that raising the minimum wage would spur economic and social development and make work more attractive to those currently receiving social benefits. UHM secretary general Josef Vella warned partners that although the existing consensus was encouraging, social partners faced a hard slog.