INDUSTRIAL AND EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS
The aim of the
Department of Industrial Employment Relations is to protect employees while keeping a healthy employment relationship with the bosses. The Department takes care of many aspects connected with the working world. Its three main activities are:
- Conditions of Employment: the Department makes sure employment contracts are fair and respect the employees’ rights. It also takes the necessary steps to help people who have lost their job
- Industrial Relations: the Department works on keeping a healthy relationship between employers associations and trade unions
- International Relations: the Department coordinates with the European Union and other International Labour Organisations, as well as with government bodies that are involved in the employment and industrial relations field
UNION REPRESENTATIVES
In order to protect their rights, employees can join trade unions to achieve common goals such as higher pay and better working conditions.
Rather than having individual employees deal with the unions, one person is chosen to be the Union Representative and he or she speaks to the union to defend the interests of his or her colleagues.
You can view the list of Trade Unions in Malta by clicking
here and for more information about Trade Unions, you can click
here.
PROFESSIONAL WORK ASSOCIATIONS
There are different Professional Work Associations for various professions like architecture, media, accountants, artists and so on.
So, for example, if you are an architect you can join the Malta Chamber of Architects, if you are a journalist there is the Institute of Journalists or, if you are a career guidance counsellor there is the Malta Career Guidance Association.
The aim of these associations is to promote the professionals they represent, and set up or defend ethical standards, as well as encourage business through meetings, conferences and information events, for example. Becoming a member of such associations is a way of learning and keeping yourself up to date with what is going on both in Malta and abroad in relation to your profession.
INDUSTRIAL TRIBUNAL
The
Industrial Tribunal hears cases connected with disputes over employment law. The tribunal is made up of a chairman and two members (one representing the workers’ interests and the other the employers’ interests) drawn up from separate panels in the case of an Industrial Dispute. If the case is about alleged unfair dismissal, then the Tribunal is just made up of a chairman alone.
