Dialogue for improvement in industrial relations

The Public Service and nine unions at a roundtable for the employee’s good

In the background of more collective agreements being signed every month, the Head of the Public Service, Tony Sultana, met with unions’ representatives for a dialogue meeting, aimed at improving relations with the workers’ representatives, and strengthening the negotiation process.

The principal permanent secretary mentioned that in the past five months, 12 new collective agreements were signed, and that in the same period, the Public Service sat down with every union.

“We are giving this importance to this aspect because these collective agreements not only improve the worker’s conditions, but also incentivise and assist the employee to improve his skills, and facilitate career progress”, said Mr Sultana.

While there is still room for improvement, each side needs to understand the needs of the other, and work in the same direction toward the same common goal: the interest of the public officer.

This dialogue meeting was attended by all the unions that have some kind of agreement with the Public Service, namely the General Workers’ Union (GWU), the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin (UĦM), the Union of Teachers (MUT), the Medical Association of Malta (MAM), the Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN), the Chamber of Psychologists (MCP), the Union of Public Sector Architects and Engineers (UPISP), the Maltese Police Association (MPA), and the Civil Protection Union (CPU).

Principal Permanent Secretary Tony Sultana was accompanied by Permanent Secretary Joyce Cassar and officers from the Industrial Relations Unit.