The General Workers' Union (GWU) is a
national trade union center
A national trade union center (or national center or central) is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a country. Nearly every country in the world has a national trade union center, and many have more than one. In some regions, such a ...
in
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
.
The GWU was founded in 1943 and has been politically identified with the
Labour Party as the trade union is the major left-wing trade union in Malta. The two were statutorily fused from 1978 to 1992, and continue to share many common objectives.
The GWU is the largest trade union movement in Malta and organised in a confederation format of 8 Sections each to an extent autonomous in conducting industrial relations. It is one of the two trade union centers recognised by the
European Trade Union Confederation
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is the major trade union organisation representing workers at the European level. In its role as a European social partner, the ETUC works both in a consulting role with the European Commission and n ...
and the employees representative delegation at the
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and o ...
. The sections cover the manufacturing, services and the public sector of the Maltese labour market and thus organise a wide cross section of interests.
The union is affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation and the European Trade Union Confederation as well as various sectoral international and European trade union federations covering the same sectors the GWU is organised therein.
The 8 Sections of the Union covering most sectors of the economy are:
* Government and Public Entities;
* Professionals Finance and Services;
* Chemical and Energy;
* Manufacturing;
* Hospitality and Foods;
* Maritime and Aviation;
* Metal and Construction,
* Technology Electronics and Communications.
Newspapers
Through its media and printing company Union Print Co., the GWU publishes the newspapers ''
It-Torċa'' and ''
L-Orizzont''.
GWU Youths
The GWU Youth Section is active amongst youths affiliated to the GWU by projecting their voice both internally, within the GWU structure, and externally, on a national and international leve
The section is affiliated with
UNI Youths,
ETUC Youths, and
ICFTU Youths.
References
Notes
*
External links
*
Trade unions in Malta
International Trade Union Confederation
Trade unions established in 1943
Organisations based in Valletta
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