Picardo not the champion of workers’ rights – GSD

GSD Leader Keith Azopardi has blasted the Chief Minister for portraying himself as the ‘champion of workers’ rights’ when the Government he presides over follows a number of practices that are undermining workers rights.

This comes after the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, joined more than 200 workers outside No.6 Convent Place yesterday as they demonstrated against job cuts by the Ministry of Defence contractor Interserve. Mr Picardo even joined them in a sit-down protest on the cobbled streets outside The Convent.

In a statement the GSD underscored that it supports Unite the Union in its efforts to ensure it is properly consulted and indeed secures the rights of Interserve workers.

Mr Azopardi said: “What was incredible was to see the spectacle of populism of the Chief Minister purporting to portray himself as the champion of workers rights when the Government he presides over is following a number of practices that are undermining workers rights – not least in the Care Agency or GHA in the employment of parallel labour through recruitment agencies.”

“How does the Chief Minister reconcile this when over 300 care workers demonstrated outside the Hospital a few weeks ago because of the practices of the Government?”

“The people of Gibraltar will see through the double standards of the Government.”