Industrial Projects and Services Limited (IPSL) the company which absorbed workers that were made redundant following the closure of Malta Shipbuilding, Malta Shipyards and Kalaxlokk Co. Ltd.is one example of workers in the public sector who are not benefitting from equal rights for equal work, AD spokesperson on EU and International Affairs Arnold Cassola held.

Insisting that such exploitative practices should come to an end, the AD spokesperson explained how employees of IPSL obtaining salary increases to reflect their new duties are being given these increases in the form of an allowance.  “They are bound to perform the same duties as Government employees but with fewer rights.  The concept of equal salaries and equal conditions for equal jobs should be the mainstay of a socially just society," he said.

AD Chairperson Michael Briguglio added that around 300 workers at Mater Dei Hospital employed as clerks, security officials and parkers by a private company are not being given the same rights, such as salary scale, as other workers performing equivalent jobs. The government had promised that these workers get equal rights, but this has not been implemented.

Every definite contact which is renewed for more than one year should be automatically considered as an indefinite contract, abusive practices where workers are engaged on definitive contracts for a period which expires a few days shorter than that stipulated by law should cease and employees become eligible for an indefinite contract, Briguglio concluded.