Dikjarazzjoni għall-midja: Il-Gvern qed iħeġġeġ l-isfruttament tal-ħaddiema bit-10-day policy.

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L-abbuż ma jaqtax tal-ħaddiema mill-kumpanija Bolt u l-aġenziji affiljati magħha huwa r-riżultat dirett tal-politika inadegwata tax-xogħol u l-immigrazzjoni li wettaq il-Gvern, qal il-Kollettiv fi stqarrija.

Aktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa, il-Bolt qalu li kellhom tnaqqis ta’ 19% fix-xufiera tagħhom, u rritaljaw billi għollew il-prezz. Dan ġara wara li l-Gvern ħabbar li se jkun qed jissospendi l-permessi temporanji għax-xogħol f’das-settur.

“Il-mudell tax-xogħol li għandu l-Bolt u l-aġenziji tiegħu mhuma xejn ħlief skjavitù moderna”, sostna s-Segretarju tal-Kollettiv, Wayne Flask. “Eluf ta’ ħaddiema qed jinġiebu kull sena bil-wegħda li jkollhom impjieg tajjeb u kwalità ta’ ħajja diċenti; madankollu, ħafna minnhom ikollhom jerġgħu lura mnejn ġew għax Malta jkunu ftaqru, ġew umiljati, u mtlew dejn”.

“Il-Bolt mela s-suq ħaddiema u vetturi, u issa qed jinħeba wara “l-partners” tiegħu biex das-settur ma jiġix regolat. Dawn il-ħaddiema jinġiebu Malta b’wegħdiet foloz, ikollhom iħallsu miżati kbar, kummissjonijiet li jlaħħqu sa 50% tal-paga, u jgħixu f’kundizzjonijiet atroċi.

Kull darba li ħaddiem jintbagħat lura, hemm ieħor joħodlu postu u jkollu jħallas flejjes kbar lill-aġenzija, anki jekk jiġi u ma jsibx ix-xogħol li ġie mwiegħed. Filwaqt li huma l-ħaddiema u r-residenti li l-iżjed qed ibatu miż-żieda fl-attività ekonomika tal-Bolt, huma tassew ftit individwi li qed igawdu minn dan il-mudell,” kompla Flask.

“Il-PM u l-Ministru tal-Intern jitkellmu dwar “ħaddiema barranin li m’għandniex bżonnhom”, iżda  m’humiex jindunaw li l-mudell ekonomiku tagħhom ikkawża ż-żieda qawwija fil-popolazzjoni fl-aħħar snin. Minflok, messhom jitkellmu dwar dawk il-politiki ekonomiċi li l-pajjiż ma jeħtiġhomx, li qed jgħakksu lill-ħaddiema b’pagi baxxi (Maltin jew barranin, b’ħiliet speċjali jew mingħajrhom) u jpoġġu pressjoni kbira fuq ir-riżorsi tal-pajjiż”, qal Matthew Borg, Teżorier.

Il-grupp ikkritika bl-aħrax it-10-day policy, li permezz tagħha l-ħaddiema minn pajjiżi terzi jridu jsibu xogħol ġdid f’għaxart ijiem, inkella jintbagħtu lura.

“Lanqas ħaddiema professjonisti ma jirnexxilhom isibu impjieg ġdid f’għaxart ijiem, aħseb u ara ħaddiema barranin li jinġiebu Malta u lanqas jingħataw taħriġ xieraq. Din ir-regola qed tippermetti l-ħolqien ta’ suq tal-iskjavitù moderna, fejn il-ħaddiema saru kumdità li tiġġenera l-flus.”

Il-Kollettiv wera s-solidarjetà tiegħu mal-ħaddiema kollha milquta, u talab lill-Gvern sabiex jirrivedi l-politiki tax-xogħol u l-immigrazzjoni mill-aktar fis possibbli. 

“Il-Gvern għandu jieqaf jieħu deċiżjonijiet bl-addoċċ mingħajr ma jkun studja l-impatt tagħhom, għax ix-xokkijiet lis-sistema jolqtu l-aktar lill-ħaddiema u lir-residenti. Meta t-tkabbir ekonomiku jitpoġġa qabel id-drittijiet tal-bniedem u l-integrazzjoni tal-ħaddiema, l-iskjavitù moderna tiġi normalizzata. Il-Gvern għandu jkollu rieda soda u jirregola dawn is-swieq ġodda li tfaċċaw fl-aħħar snin mingħajr kontroll, u fl-istess ħin jipproteġi lill-ħaddiema. B’mod partikolari għandha tinqata’ l-prattika tas-sottokuntrattar, li hija sors enormi ta’ abbuż tal-ħaddiema fis-setturi ekonomiċi tal-privat u tal-pubbliku.”

Il-Kollettiv talab ukoll li jsir studju tal-kapaċità li jindika kemm hemm bżonn ħaddiema f’kul settur ekonomiku. “In-numru ta’ ħaddiema fis-setturi tal-kostruzzjoni, it-turiżmu, il-catering u fis-saħħa għandu jiġi stabbilit u jkun hemm limiti fuqhom. Studju bħal dan jindika x’ħiliet verament għandu bżonn il-pajjiż, sabiex il-Gvern ikun jista’ joħloq pjan u faċilitajiet biex iħarreġ mill-ġdid lil dawn il-ħaddiema.”

Il-Kollettiv Calls for Changes to Migration, Employment Policies

Press Release: Bolt’s abuse of workers is facilitated by the government and its 10-day policy

The continued abuse of workers by Bolt and affiliated recruitment agencies is a direct result of the government’s inadequate employment and immigration policies, activist group il-Kollettiv said in a statement on Tuesday.

Earlier this week, Bolt reported an alleged drop of 19% in its taxi drivers’ workforce, accompanied by a retaliatory surge in tariffs, after the government announced it will be suspending temporary work permits in this sector.

“Bolt and its associated recruitment agencies’ model amounts to modern slavery,” said il-Kollettiv secretary Wayne Flask. “Every year, thousands of workers are brought to Malta expecting to find a job and a decent quality of life; every year, thousands of them have to go back to their countries of origin impoverished, humiliated, and indebted to their families.”

“Bolt has flooded the market with workers and vehicles, and is now using its “partners” as a shield against industry regulation. These workers are brought here under false pretences, after paying huge fees and up to 50% of their salaries, and forced to live in squalid conditions as a result.

Every time a worker is sent back, they are replaced by another, who has to pay huge fees and commission to the agency, irrespective of whether there’s a job for them or not. While workers suffer inhumane conditions and residents suffer Bolt’s increase in “economic activity”, only a few individuals really benefit from this model,” Flask said.

“The PM and Home Affairs Minister speak of ‘unneeded foreign workers’, but their own economic policies are responsible for the huge increase in population over the last years. They should speak, instead, of unneeded and unfitting economic policies which are straining lower-income workers (Maltese or foreign, skilled and unskilled) as well as the country's resources,” said Matthew Borg, treasurer of il-Kollettiv.

The group heavily criticised the existing 10-day policy, whereby third-country nationals who lose their job and remain unemployed for more than then days are sent back to their country of origin. “It is impossible even for seasoned professionals to find a new job within 10 days, let alone for thousands of foreign workers imported here without any training whatsoever.

“This policy is directly aiding and abetting the slave market, and reports of an immigration racket further confirm how these workers are treated as a money-generating commodity.”

The group expressed its solidarity with stricken workers, and called on the government to immediately review its employment and migration policies.

“The government should stop taking haphazard, knee-jerk decisions which have the effect of shocking the system, to the detriment of workers and residents. The mantra of putting economic growth above human rights and the integration of workers in society has led to the normalisation of slavery. The government should show a firm hand in regulating the new markets that have emerged unbridled in the last years, whilst offering support to the affected workers. In particular, the practice of subcontracting workers should be eliminated, as this is the single biggest factor leading to widespread abuse in both private and public economic sectors.”

Il-Kollettiv also called for a capacity analysis of the various economic sectors to determine how many workers are needed in each. “The number of workers needed by the construction, tourism, catering and healthcare industries must be studied, determined, and capped. This study should also shine a light on what skill sets the country needs, and the government should be providing direction and facilities for these workers to be re/trained.”