President Spiteri Debono pays tribute to GWU’s legacy and impact

The President of the Republic, Myriam Spiteri Debono, paid a courtesy visit to the Workers’ Memorial Building, where she paid tribute to Malta’s largest workers’ union as one whose history was woven into the country’s social and economic fabric.

President Spiteri Debono was welcomed by the GWU’s central administration and later met the union’s section secretaries and other GWU and Union Print employees.

“The GWU continues to have a significant impact on contemporary political and social life even after 82 years since its founding,” Spiteri Debono told the GWU National Council, the highest decision-making body within the union.

Spiteri Debono recounted how the union had played a crucial role in organising workers during times when their working conditions had been largely unrecognised and stressed the importance of remembering our origins while being mindful of future goals.

“Today we have reached a point where both workers and employers must ensure the protection of jobs, as there is now a shared understanding that their livelihoods depend on common objectives,” the President said, remarking that the GWU had on many occasions addressed many critical gaps in our society.

She said the GWU’s dynamic organisational structure had served as a vital reference point for its members at a time when access to tertiary education was limited. Various meetings held to discuss better working conditions, these had proven to be fertile ground for workers who acquired new leadership skills as well as a thirst for education rooted in socio-political disciplines and philosophy.

“The GWU has provided a training ground for emerging leaders, playing a pivotal role in developing workers’ leadership abilities. The strength of the GWU comes from its continuous evolution and its recognition that workplace democracy is intertwined with political democracy,” Spiteri Debono said.

She also noted that the union’s advocacy for better working conditions had also adapted over time, now involving updated collective agreements, collaboration with other unions, and consultation now being the foundational basis for trade union action.

The President also appealed to the union to continue educating its members, in a bid to be better equipped to analyse workers’ present situation. She also praised recent policies on the integration of foreign workers, expressing her belief that the GWU would as always be a strong advocate for workers’ rights.

GWU Secretary-General Josef Bugeja thanked President Spiteri Debono for her visit, during which he explained the way the union operates both at workplaces and through internal meetings.

Bugeja acknowledged the significant changes taking place in the world of work and the necessity to always be prepared to face future challenges. A case in point was the GWU’s lifelong commitment to ensure equal pay for women employees, allowing them to continue working after having children, in stark contrast to past practices.

After addressing the GWU National Council, President Spiteri Debono was presented with a token to commemorate the occasion