TG May Day Message: A Long Way To Go For Workers
This year’s May Day message from Together Gibraltar:
This 1st of May, we celebrate the workers who have made Gibraltar the thriving place it is today. A true celebration is one where we mark our achievements but where we also ask whether we are doing enough to support those we are applauding.
Cost of Living
First and foremost, is making sure that every worker is compensated fairly and with enough to make ends meet. The living wage commission proposed by the government would be a good start. But this commission has to go hand-in-hand with a real commitment to make Gibraltar the best place for workers' rights and opportunities.
Right now we are far short of this goal.
The current minimum wage in Gibraltar is nowhere near enough to support a single-person to live independently.
We’re blessed in Gibraltar to have a welfare system that supports the most in need. But every year, more and more people are slipping through the cracks. More and more workers are being forced to move in with family members, or live across the border. Together Gibraltar firmly believes that anyone working full time should be earning enough to have a decent quality of life.
Parental Leave
It’s not just about the minimum wage. Gibraltar is lagging far behind in terms of parental leave. Without a fair system, mothers are being put under tremendous stress and are often expected to put their careers on hold. Fathers are deprived of quality time with their children.
Employment Services
By not effectively managing the employment services, we are leaving companies to rely on workers from abroad while many locals are looking for work. We know that there are more vacancies than there are local workers. So why do we still have so many people falling through the cracks unable to find adequate work?
Similarly, while the rest of the developed world is re-learning the importance of apprenticeships, they still remain absent in Gibraltar. Our employment services need to provide far more training opportunities so that people of any age can gain the skills to succeed in the industries Gibraltar will need.
Looking Forward
By not investing in a wider, more sustainable, range of industries, we are depriving Gibraltarians of quality jobs, and are even forcing many Gibraltarians to find work abroad. Hospitality, care, technology - the jobs which Gibraltar will depend on are the ones most reliant on workers from abroad.
Finally, we need to mention the public sector workers who keep Gibraltar going. Unlike certain other parties, we do not think this sector is bloated at all. What we do know is that many, many workers in this sector are being undervalued and underserved. It should be a mark of shame for any department to hear about poor morale, but unfortunately this has become the norm for too many. Every public servant deserves a rewarding, dignifying place to work and the tools to do their job effectively.
We will continue to fight for the public sector workers who are still being messed around on supply contracts and without basic rights like annual leave and sick pay.
Have Your Say
These are just the thoughts of our small team of workers (and a couple of retirees) but Together Gibraltar has always been about listening, not lecturing. If you have your own experiences or ideas about employment, we really hope you will join us at our employment workshop this Monday 6th May.
