Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights has been often cited by the European Court of Justice in reference to decisions against state and trade union over-reach on the choices and decisions made by workers in terms of collective bargaining and unionisation. There is a very high probability that any law forcing workers to join na trade union can be contested on constitutional grounds.
The proposal by the government to introduce mandatory unionisation to Third-Country Nationlas is another crisis-by-management solution. Previously, the government begun reducing the number of Third-Country-National employees in some sectors.
These are all market distortions upon other market distortions that will keep hurting the economy in the end. Most importantly, the minimum wage is not a living wage and until this fundamental problem is addressed, no mandatory union membership will significantly improve working-conditions. Secondly, the Labour government has heavily distorted the Labour market by employing many unskilled workers with the government: case in point is Gozo as a perfect example of this. If there are “too many Third-Country Nationals in employment” is the Labour government’s fault.
Ultimately, the measure will boost the numbers of the General Workers’ Union which is affiliated with the Labour Party. The measure is only intended for low-paid workers and these are the base of the GWU.
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