Iffirmati żewġ ftehimiet kollettivi għall-ħaddiema tal-ARMS Ltd
Ġew iffirmati żewġ ftehimiet kollettivi ġodda bejn l-ARMS Ltd u l-General Workers’ Union, li jkopru 214-il ħaddiem tal-ARMS Ltd kif ukoll 27 impjegat fil-managementtal-istess entità.
Dawn il-ftehimiet huma riżultat ta’ ħidma u diskussjonijiet estensivi bejn il-partijiet kollha, bil-għan li jissaħħu l-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol tal-impjegati, jingħata rikonoxximent aktar ġust għall-kontribut tagħhom, u titkompla l-ħidma biex l-ARMS Ltd tkun f’pożizzjoni aħjar li twassal servizz effiċjenti u ta’ kwalità lill-klijenti tagħha.
Permezz ta’ dawn il-ftehimiet kollettivi, il-ħaddiema se jibbenefikaw minn pakkett finanzjarju mtejjeb, miżuri ġodda marbuta mat-taħriġ u l-iżvilupp tal-ħiliet, kif ukoll minn inizjattivi li jindirizzaw anomaliji fil-gradi u fl-istrutturi eżistenti. Dan it-titjib huwa maħsub biex jagħti aktar ċertezza, motivazzjoni u opportunitajiet lill-impjegati, filwaqt li jsaħħaħ l-operat tal-kumpanija.
Waqt l-iffirmar, il-Ministru Miriam Dalli qalet li dawn il-ftehimiet jirriflettu l-impenn tal-Gvern li jkompli jtejjeb il-kundizzjonijiet tal-ħaddiema u li japprezza b’mod konkret il-ħidma ta’ dawk li, ta’ kuljum, jagħtu servizz essenzjali lill-familji u lin-negozji. “Wara xhur ta’ ħidma u diskussjonijiet kostruttivi, illum qed nagħtu riżultat konkret lill-ħaddiema tal-ARMS. Dawn huma ħaddiema li jagħmlu xogħol importanti ħafna, direttament mal-pubbliku, u għandhom rwol kruċjali biex is-servizzi relatati mal-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma jkunu aċċessibbli, effiċjenti u ta’ kwalità. Mhux biss qed intejbu l-pakkett finanzjarju tagħhom, iżda qed nagħtu wkoll aktar importanza lit-taħriġ,lill-iżvilupp tal-ħiliet u lil strutturi aktar ġusti fil-post tax-xogħol,” qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Il-Ministru saħqet li dan il-pass għandu jitqies fil-kuntest ta’ ħidma usa’ tal-Gvern favur stabbiltà, kwalità fis-servizz u appoġġ lill-familji.
“Il-ħidma tagħna mhijiex biss li niżguraw li l-kontijiet jibqgħu stabbli u sussidjati għall-familji u n-negozji, iżda wkoll li nsaħħu s-servizzi lin-nies. Biex dan iseħħ, irridu ninvestu fin-nies li jwasslu dawn is-servizzi. Il-ħaddiema tal-ARMS huma parti importanti minn din il-katina ta’ servizz pubbliku, u għalhekk huwa xieraq li l-kontribut tagħhom ikun rikonoxxut permezz ta’ kundizzjonijiet aħjar, aktar ċertezza u opportunitajiet akbar ta’ progress,” qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Min-naħa tiegħu, il-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-ARMS George Azzopardi qal li l-ftehimiet se jgħinu biex tkompli tissaħħaħ il-kapaċità tal-kumpanija li twettaq il-funzjonijiet tagħha b’mod aktar effettiv, filwaqt li tippromwovi ambjent tax-xogħol aktar ġust, modern u orjentat lejn it-taħriġ kontinwu. “Din hija ġurnata importanti għalina u mument storiku, fejn fost kollox indirizzajna anke xi anomaliji li kien hemm fil-gradi tal-ħaddiema.Ħidma tajba, konġunta li finalment wasslet għal dan il-ftehim, li huwa ftehim verament sodisfaċenti illi jindirizza mhux biss titjib fil-pagi imma anke joħloq inizjattivi ġodda ta’ studju għall-ħaddiema.”
Il-General Workers’ Union laqgħet dawn il-ftehimiet bħala pass importanti ’l quddiem għall-ħaddiema. Riccarda Darmanin, Segretarju tas-Sezzjoni mill-GWU li kienetresponsabbli għall-ftehim tal-management qalet li dan il-ftehim kien l-ewwel wieħed tax-xorta tiegħu u rringazjat lill-membri kollha tas-sapport tagħhom biex jintlaħaq dan il-ftehim. Kendrick Bondin, Segretarju tas-Sezzjoni minn GWU li kien reponsabbli mill-ftehim tal-bqija tal-ħaddiema qal li dan il-ftehim jirrifletti dak li jemmnu fih bħala GWU, li għandna dejjem nimxu maż-żminijiet.
Two collective agreements signed for ARMS Ltd workers
Two new collective agreements have been signed between ARMS Ltd and the General Workers’ Union, covering 214 ARMS Ltd workers and 27 management employees within the same entity.
These agreements are the result of extensive work and discussions among all parties, aimed at strengthening employees’ working conditions, providing fairer recognition for their contributions, and continuing efforts to place ARMS Ltd in a better position to deliver an efficient, high-quality service to its customers.
Through these collective agreements, workers will benefit from improved financial packages, new measures for training and skills development, and initiatives to address anomalies in existing grades and structures. These improvements are intended to provide employees with greater certainty, motivation and opportunities, while strengthening the company’s operations.
During the signing, Minister Miriam Dalli said that these agreements reflect the Government’s commitment to continue improving workers’ conditions and to concretely acknowledge the work of those who, on a daily basis, provide an essential service to families and businesses.
“After months of work and constructive discussions, today we are delivering a concrete result for ARMS workers. These are workers who carry out very important work, directly with the public, and who have a crucial role in ensuring that services related to electricity and water bills are accessible, efficient and of high quality. We are not only improving their financial package, but also placing greater importance on training, skills development and fairer structures in the workplace,” said Minister Dalli.
The Minister stressed that this step should be viewed within the broader context of the Government’s work in favour of stability, service quality and support for families.
“Our work is not only to ensure that bills remain stable and subsidised for families and businesses, but also to strengthen services for people. For this to happen, we must invest in the people who deliver these services. ARMS workers are an important part of this public service chain, and it is therefore right that their contribution is recognised through better conditions, greater certainty and wider opportunities for progress,” said Minister Dalli.
For his part, ARMS Chief Executive Officer George Azzopardi said that the agreements will help further strengthen the company’s capacity to carry out its functions more effectively, while promoting a fairer, more modern working environment focused on continuous training. “This is an important day for us and a historic moment, during which, among other things, we also addressed certain anomalies that existed in workers’ grades. It was good, joint work that finally led to this agreement, which is a truly satisfactory one that addresses not only wage improvements but also creates new study initiatives for workers.”
The General Workers’ Union welcomed these agreements as an important step forward for workers. Riccarda Darmanin, GWU Section Secretary responsible for the management agreement, said that this was the first agreement of its kind and thanked all members for their support in reaching it. Kendrick Bondin, GWU Section Secretary responsible for the agreement covering the remaining workers, said that the agreementreflects what the GWU believes in: that we must always keep up with the times.