Malta’s ‘Definite’ Uncertainty: Workers’ Plight in the Shadow of Contract Reform

In the bustling streets of Valletta, just off Republic Street, you’ll find the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Consumer Affairs. Every day, workers from across Malta and Gozo queue outside, seeking clarity on their employment status. Their stories are a testament to the uncertainty that has become all too familiar in Malta’s labour market – an uncertainty that could soon be a thing of the past.

Definite Contracts: A Promise Unfulfilled

In 2018, the government introduced definite contracts, a move aimed at providing workers with more job security. The idea was simple: after six months, workers on definite contracts would be entitled to a permanent contract, unless the employer could prove just cause for termination. Yet, three years on, many workers still find themselves in a limbo, their contracts renewed just shy of the six-month mark, a practice known locally as ‘the dance’.

“I’ve been on a definite contract for over two years now,” says Maria, a retail worker from Msida. “Every five months, like clockwork, my contract is renewed. It’s exhausting, not knowing if this is it, or if I’ll have a job next month.”

Momentum: A New Push for Reform

Momentum, a local NGO advocating for workers’ rights, has been at the forefront of the campaign to end this sustained uncertainty. They argue that the current system is open to abuse, with employers exploiting a loophole in the law to keep workers in a state of perpetual limbo.

“The law is clear,” says Matthew, a spokesperson for Momentum. “After six months, workers should be entitled to a permanent contract. But the reality is far from that. We’re seeing workers being kept on definite contracts for years, with no end in sight.”

Momentum is now pushing for an amendment to the law, seeking to reduce the renewal period to three months. They believe this will give workers more us, making it harder for employers to keep them in indefinite definite contracts.

Government Response: A Step in the Right Direction?

The government has acknowledged the issue, with the Minister for Labour, Industrial Relations and Consumer Affairs, Owen Bonnici, stating that the current system is “not working as intended”. He has promised a review of the law, with potential changes to be discussed in the upcoming budget.

However, Momentum remains cautious. “We’ve heard promises before,” says Matthew. “What we need now is concrete action. Workers deserve certainty, and they deserve it now.”

As the government prepares to review the law, workers like Maria wait, their futures uncertain. But with Momentum’s campaign gaining traction, there’s a sense of hope in the air, a feeling that change might finally be on the horizon.

“I just want to know where I stand,” says Maria. “Is this my job, or is it just another dance?”