Trade unions play a vital and indispensable role in the construction and manufacturing sectors, not only by giving a voice to thousands of workers but also by improving their overall quality of life. This was the message delivered by General Workers’ Union (GWU) Secretary General Josef Bugeja at the opening of a conference held in Malta by the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) and the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI).
The conference, titled “Rethinking Organising in Construction and Woodworking: From Fragmentation to Unity – Boosting Trade Union Representation,” focused on strengthening worker representation across Europe.
In his address, Bugeja said that the core values uniting trade unions are the protection and defence of the most vulnerable in the labour market, especially in a rapidly changing global economy. He stressed that unions remain essential to safeguard workers’ needs and aspirations through dialogue, support, and—most importantly—collective bargaining.
Bugeja highlighted several developments in Malta, including reforms in temping agencies, the introduction of the equal pay for work of equal value principle, and the recognition of platform workers as employees—an important shift from the situation just a few years ago. These changes, he said, underline the growing relevance and necessity of trade unions at local, European, and global levels.
Speaking to this newspaper, Jesmond Marshall, Secretary of the GWU Metal and Construction Section, said the challenges discussed at the conference are being experienced across Europe. He noted that such events are crucial for sharing best practices and learning from one another.
Assistant Secretary George Zahra added that workers must always remain organised within unions to ensure their rights and conditions are protected.
