General Secretary of the GWU at the ILO Conference
The General Secretary of the General Workers’ Union (GWU), Josef Bugeja, addressed the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conference in Geneva, making an urgent appeal for an immediate and permanent cessation of fighting in Palestine and full humanitarian access.
While addressing the 113th ILO Conference, Bugeja reaffirmed his strong support for the Palestinian people and their struggle for dignity, freedom, and life.
“I speak not only as a General Secretary but as a global citizen committed to dignity, justice, and human rights. The atrocities in Palestine demand our full attention and urgent action.
“More than 54,000 Palestinians, including 6,000 children, have been killed in indiscriminate attacks. Entire villages, an entire nation, have been reduced to ashes. Desperate people are dying of hunger, and even those queuing for food have been shot. This is not just war—this is a campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing,” Bugeja told the ILO Conference, which brings together trade unions and employer organizations.
“In this critical moment, silence is complicity. We call for an immediate and permanent
ceasefire, full humanitarian access, the release of all hostages, the protection of the civilian population, and a commitment to a just and lasting peace through a two-state solution. I reaffirm my unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their just struggle for dignity, freedom, and life.”
In his speech, Bugeja also reiterated the GWU’s campaign against the exploitation of
platform workers, who face injustices due to algorithmic exploitation, denial of basic rights, and unfair wages.
“In Malta, we have seen these injustices firsthand in food delivery and transport. These
workers have faced precarious conditions, low and unstable wages, no protection, informal contracts, and subcontracting that deprives them of their rights. The Maltese government, together with social partners, responded with the Digital Platform Delivery Wages Council & Wage Regulation Order—an innovative law that provides clear employment status and minimum rights for these workers.”
The GWU was the first union in Malta to raise the issue of platform worker exploitation and the first organization to unite these workers.
“All platform workers, regardless of how their work is organized or facilitated, deserve fair wages, social protection, safe working conditions, and the right to organize… We will work tirelessly to ensure that these new laws are implemented, respected, and enforced.”
However, Bugeja also emphasized the need to address national economies, as growing
inequality stems from rising productivity while wages remain stagnant. The GWU General Secretary stated that living wages and strong collective bargaining must become the norm.
“Workers deserve a fair share of the wealth they create. Dignity, respect, and fair conditions are not just buzzwords; they reflect social justice, solidarity, and the values of our society.”
Bugeja also called for strong social dialogue and public investment in a just ecological
transition, ensuring workers have access to new green jobs that are decent and fair.
“We must face the climate crisis with urgency and justice. A just transition is not a luxury but a necessity… We must move away from profit-first models that exploit both people and nature.”
Bugeja stated that the world is experiencing major disruptions due to war, inequality, and rapid technological evolution, which challenge the foundations of democracy.
“Across the world, people are working more, earning less, and feeling increasingly excluded from the benefits of growth. Our social contract—the very fabric of society—is unraveling,” Bugeja said, calling for the strengthening of trade unions globally.
“Trade unions are the guardians of democracy in workplaces and society. In times of
instability, we anchor our communities in solidarity, build trust through dialogue, and fight against injustice and abuse.
“Together with the ILO, we must rebuild a social contract based on shared prosperity and democratic governance—a contract where no worker is considered disposable, where platform workers have rights, where wages are fair, where the ecological transition is just, and where every voice matters.”
