Xogħol fuq pjattaforma diġitali: skjavitù modern?

Ilna ftit li bdejna nindunaw, bil-mod, li l-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol ta’ dawk assoċjati mal-pjattaforma diġitali lokali setgħu ma kienux adegwati.  Fi Frar li għadda, wieħed minnhom, Nepaliż ta’ 28 sena, kien involut f’inċident tat-traffiku fatali fil-Marsa waqt li kien għaddej fuq xogħolu, jqassam l-ikel.

Din mhiex xi ħaġa li tikkonċerna lilna biss, f’Malta.  Hi sitwazzjoni li hi ukoll taħt l-osservazzjoni tal-Unjoni Ewropeja li qed tikkunsidra l-introdużżjoni ta’ Direttiva, applikabbli fl-Unjoni kollha, “dwar it-titjib fil-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol fuq il-pjattaformi diġitali”.  

L-istudju dwar l-impatt ta’ din il-miżura, li ġie mfassal bħala dokument biex ikun ta’ għajnuna fid-deliberazzjonijiet meħtieġa, jemfasizza li uħud minn dawk li jaħdmu permezz tal-pjattaformi diġitali qed jiffaċċjaw kundizzjonijiet ħżiena ta’ xogħol u aċċess mhux adegwat għal ħarsien soċjali.  Uħud minnhom, jgħid l-istudju, huma b’mod żbaljat deskritti jew klassifikati bħala persuni li jaħdmu għal rashom. 

Bħala riżultat ta’ din id-deskrizzjoni ħażina dawn ġeneralment jitilfu ħafna mid-drittijiet jew protezzjoni li huma intitolati għaliha.   Dawn jikkonċernaw il-ħarsien dwar kemm jaħdmu siegħat, il-paga minima (inkluż il-bonus statutorju ta’ Ġunju u Diċembru), leave annwali bi ħlas, leave għall-mard, leave tal-ġenituri u ħarsien tas-saħħa u sigurtà fuq il-post tax-xogħol.

L-azzjoni industrijali tal-kurriera tal-ikel tal-Bolt il-ġimgħa l-oħra iffukat l-attenzjoni fuq il-qagħda ta’ dawk li jaħdmu permezz tal-pjattaforma diġitali. “Kważi ħadd ma jaf minn xiex ngħaddu biex inwasslu l-ikel malajr” kien ikkwotat jgħid wieħed mill-kurriera.

Hu fatt mhux daqstant magħruf li l-operaturi tal-pjattaforma diġitali konnessa mat-tqassim tal-ikel, minbarra li jiġbru l-ħlas dovut għat-tqassim jieħdu ukoll kummissjoni sostanzjali mingħand l-operaturi tal-istabilimenti tal-ikel li jservu. Xi kultant, jiena infurmat, li dawk il-kummissjonijiet jammontaw għal madwar it-30 fil-mija tal-valur tal-ikel li jkun qed jitqassam.  Ġibduli l-attenzjoni tiegħi li din il-kummissjoni kulltant tidher riflessa f’diskrepanza bejn il-prezzijiet li jidhru online u dawk li tista’ tara b’għajnejk fl-istabilimenti tal-ikel infushom!

Għandu jkun ċar li dawn il-flejjes mill-kummissjonijiet ma jispiċċawx għand il-kurriera li jkunu qed jiġru bil-muturi mat-toroq tagħna. Jispiċċaw fil-kont tal-bank tal-operaturi tal-pjattaforma diġitali!

Uħud mill-kurriera jitħallsu bir-rata miżera ta’ €2 għal kull vjaġġ bl-ikel, kultant inqas. L-iffurtunati fosthom kultant jitħallsu  €2.50 (jew ftit iktar) għal vjaġġ bl-ikel! Dan ifisser li jkun jeħtieġilhom li jaħdmu għal siegħat twal biex jistgħu kemm kemm jgħixu.  L-affarijiet huma bil-bosta agħar għal dawk meqjusa bħala  “indipendenti”, inkella b’mod falz deskritti bħala li jaħdmu għal rashom. Dawn jispiċċaw iridu jħallsu l-ispejjes li jkollhom huma ukoll. Jispiċċaw ħafna agħar!

Dan hu skjavitù tas-seklu wieħed u għoxrin. Skjavitù diġitali!

Wara l-azzjoni industrijali tal-ġimgħa l-oħra tal-kurriera tal-ikel tal-pjattaforma diġitali, uħud mill-istabilimenti tal-ikel kienu mħassba u fetħu ħalqhom għax dan effettwalhom il-but. Ħadd ma nduna li kienu b’xi mod imħassbin huma u jużaw dan is-servizz ta dawn il-kurriera imħaddma qieshom skjavi. Xejn ma iddejqu. Il-kuxjenza ma niggżithomx.

L-istabilimenti tal-ikel li jagħmlu użu mis-servizz tal-pjattaforma diġitali mhumiex direttament responsabbli għal kif din topera! Imma, l-fatt li jagħmlu użu minna jirrendihom kompliċi f’ din l-industrija ta’ skjavitù modern li qed tiżviluppa biex taqdi lilhom.

L-azzjoni industrijali tal-ġimgħa l-oħra fetħet għajnejn bosta, inkluż ta’ dawk li kienu qed jagħmluha tal-boloh, taparsi ma jafu b’xejn. Issa hu l-waqt għal azzjoni konkreta. Azzjoni li teħtieġ li anke l-konsumatur jieqaf milli jagħmel użu mis-servizzi ta’ dawk li qed jinkoraġixxu dan l-iskjavitù diġitali  modern.

ippubblikat fuq Illum : 7 t’Awwissu 2022

Platform work: digital slave labour?

The rumblings on the working conditions of those engaged in local digital platform work have been around for some time. Last February one of them, a 28-year-old Nepalese, was involved in a fatal traffic accident in Marsa when on a food delivery trip.

This is not just a local issue. The matter is also on the radar of the European Union which is considering the introduction of an EU wide Directive “on improving the working conditions in platform work”. 

An impact assessment drawn up as an EU Commission staff working document emphasises that some of those working through digital platforms face poor working conditions and inadequate access to social protection. A number of them, says the impact assessment, are falsely classified as self-employed. As a result of the misclassification of their employment status they tend to lose various rights and protections. These include rights relative to working time, minimum wage (including the statutory bonus payable in June and December), paid annual leave, paid sick leave, parental leave and occupational health and safety.

The industrial action by Bolt food couriers last week brought to light the plight of local platform workers. “Almost nobody knows what we must go through just so that they get their food quickly” one of the couriers was quoted as saying.

It is not so well known that the food courier platform operators, in addition to collecting the delivery charges, collect substantial commissions from the food outlets which they serve. At times, I am informed that this may be as high as 30 per cent of the value of the delivery food. It was pointed out to me that this commission charged is at times evident in a discrepancy between the prices quoted online and those displayed at the food outlets themselves!

It has to be underlined that these substantial commissions do not end up in the pockets of the food couriers but in the bank accounts of the platform operators!

Some of the couriers are paid at a miserly rate of €2 per delivery, at times even less. The lucky ones can get as much as €2.50 per delivery or slightly better! This signifies that they must work very long hours to try and earn a very basic income on which to exist. To make matters worse, in those cases where the couriers are “independent” or “falsely” classified as self-employed they end up paying their own expenses. As a consequence, they end up much worse off!

This is twenty first century slave labour. It is in fact digital slave labour!

After the industrial action last week, some catering establishments have voiced their concerns as the action taken by the food courier platform workers has at the end of the day impacted their bottom line too. I do not recall hearing their concern on utilising digital slave labour: they did so without qualms. They had no second thoughts or pangs of conscience.

The catering establishments are not directly responsible for the manner in which digital platform work operates. However, the fact that they make use of it renders them complicit in the slave labour industry being developed to satisfy their bottom lines. They make it possible.

Last week’s industrial action was an eye opener for all, including those who feigned ignorance as to what was going on. Now is the time for all round action. This must also include action on the part of consumers who should not use the services of those who keep encouraging and making use of digital slave labour.

published on The Malta Independent on Sunday : 7 August 2022

Fl-Air Malta hemm bżonn il-kalma

 

Il-kliem iebes dwar dak li għaddej bħalissa fl-Air Malta m’huwiex jonqos. Bħalissa għaddej eżerċizzju biex jikkonvinċu l-opinjoni pubblika dwar min hu l-iżjed b’saħħtu.

Il-Gvern qed jgħid li lest li jibqa’ għaddej. Ftiehem mal-parti l-kbira tal-Unions u jistenna li jiftiehem ukoll mal-Union tal-piloti. Id-dettalji tal-ftehim kollettiv propost ma nafhomx, u safejn naf jiena m’humiex pubbliċi. L-unika ħaġa magħrufa s’issa hi dak li qal il-Prim Ministru dalgħodu li hemm proposti żidiet sostanzjali li imma huma marbuta ma tibdiliet fil-prattiċi tax-xogħol. Fuq quddiem hemm l-insistenza tal-Gvern u tal-Management tal-Air Malta li hemm ħtieġa ta’ żieda fis-siegħat tat-titjir.

Il-Gvern irid jipprova jasal. Għalhekk beda mill-Unions li kien iktar faċli li jasal magħhom u ikkonkluda ftehim ma kull waħda minnhom matul dawn il-ġimgħat. Il-Union tal-piloti l-ALPA min-naħa l-oħra żammet iebes minħabba l-posizzjoni strateġika tagħha fil-kumpanija u tittama li ssarraf din is-saħħa strateġika f’vantaġġi ikbar għall-membri tagħha. Xejn ħażin f’dan, sakemm nagħrfu li hemm limitu dettat mir-raġuni u l-etika li m’għandux jinqabeż.

Kull ftehim jinvolvi give and take. Tirbaħ xi affarijiet u ċċedi oħrajn. Nappella għaldaqstant għas-sens komun tal-partijiet li jippruvaw isibu soluzzjoni.

Apparti l-kwistjoni tal-ftehim kollettiv bħalissa jidher li qed tikber b’mod sproporzjonat tilwima oħra, separata, dwar il-mod kif ġie ittrattat wieħed mill-piloti minn uffiċjal għoli tal-kumpanija Air Malta. Dwar dan, jidher li l-piloti vvutaw biex jagħtu l-awtorità lill-Union ħalli  jibdew azzjonijiet industrijali.

Hemm bżonn daqsxejn tal-kalma. L-iżbalji jeħtieġ li jiġu msewwija imma ejja f’ġieħ is-sewwa ma nesagerawx.

Il-pajjiż għandu bżonn lill-Air Malta għax din tista’ tagħti kontribut siewi lill-ekonomija. Biex dan iseħħ hem bżonn li kulħadd jaġixxi b’mod responsabbli.

Li nikkalmaw ftit ikun pass tajjeb!

L-istrike tal-piloti tal-Air Malta

Il-piloti tal-Air Malta m’għadx għandhom fiduċja fil-management kurrenti tal-Air Malta. Dan intqal mill-ALPA (Airline Pilots Association) wara li l-Air Malta permezz ta’ talba għall-ħruġ ta’ mandat ta’ inibizzjoni waqqfet (għal issa) l-possibilità ta’ strike mill-piloti tal-Air Malta.

It-theddida ta’ istrike hi assoċjata mad-dewmien fil-konklużjoni ta’ negozjati dwar ftehim kollettiv ġdid għax il-ftehim kollettiv il-qadim skada xi xhur ilu.

Id-dritt tal-istrike hu arma qawwija u l-konsegwenzi jistgħu jkunu sostanzjali tant li bosta jsostnu li għandu jintuża biss meta jkunu ġew ippruvati bla suċċess l-alternattivi kollha biex tinstab soluzzjoni.

Issa l-Air Malta hi miżgħuda bil-problemi, bosta minnhom, kif tgħid l-ALPA huma problemi li ġew ikkawżati mill-management tal-kumpanija tul is-snin. Dan dejjem sar bil-kunsens tal-Gvern tal-ġurnata li bid-Diretturi li jaħtar dejjem kellu u għad għandu kontroll assolut (s’issa) fuq dak li jsir fil-kumpanija. [Tista’ per eżempju taqra  dak li kien kiteb xi snin ilu Michael Mallia li kien Direttur tal-Air Malta.]

Tul l-aħħar snin il-problemi tal-Air Malta, għalkemm naqsu, għadhom hemm. Għalhekk għaddejjin negozjati mal-Alitalia/Etihad Airways li dwarhom jidher li l-Unions ftit li xejn għandhom informazzjoni s’issa.

X’ser jiġri mal-Alitalia/Etihad Airways ftit nista’ ngħid ħlief dak li hu ovvju: li probabbilment jonqsu l-impieg mal-Air Malta. Hi pinnola morra li l-Gvern ta’ Joseph Muscat bla dubju jipprova jtaffi l-effett tagħha bl-istess mod li l-Gvern ta’ Gonzi mexa mat-Tarżna.

Dawn huma t-toroq rejali tal-Air Malta. Azzjoni industrijali issa kull ma tagħmel tkun li tagħti tefa l-isfel lill-futur li hu diġa imċajpar. Għalkemm hu l-mument tal-prudenza, dan ma jfissirx dgħjufija. Għax f’dan il-mument is-saħħa tal-istrike ma tagħmel ġid lil ħadd. La lill-Air Malta, la lil pajjiż u l-anqas lil piloti!

Some memories of my father

 

It is now four weeks since he passed away in the early hours of 11 June. Yet I still find myself dialling his telephone number at least twice a day to exchange some news or to ask for his opinion or advice on some matter.

Three months short of his 85^th birthday, he had retired from the civil service 25 years ago after a continuous public service spanning over 40 years. I do remember most of his postings, in particular those at the Customs and the then Water Works Department. He was dedicated to his duties at the Department of Social Services where he spent more than twenty years of his public service.

He was an only child as his elder sister had died at birth. At the tender age of six he was already an orphan when he lost his father who worked as a linotype operator at the government printing press. It was in 1937, two years before the outbreak of World War II. Without a breadwinner at home and inexistent social services life was miserable.

My father was not into politics. He was of the opinion that it would have been much better had I followed in his footsteps! He told me as much in very forceful language many times, in particular on the morrow of Black Monday in October 1979 when standing in the timber balcony of our home in St Paul Street Valletta we could still observe smoke coming out from the gutted Progress Press, home to The Times and The Sunday Times for many years.

He was a civil servant of the old school who took much pride in his work. As a young boy I could observe this at close quarters whenever he took me along. As an account keeper at the Water Works Department in the 1960s he would patiently listen to and address complaints on “errors” in water and electricity bills. Later in the 1980s, he would apply his skills as a welfare officer in the different area offices of the Department of Social Services assisting the elderly and vulnerable who sought the assistance of the state.

In 1977, after taking part in a sympathy strike called by the UĦM in solidarity with bank employees he was transferred to the Bormla Area Office of the Department of Social Services. It was certainly not intended to be a pleasant experience. In fact, he used to recount how in the first weeks after his being transferred to the Bormla Social Services Area Office, various officials of the local Labour Party Club used to turn up at the office “to check” on the progress of the new welfare officer! Subsequently he was transferred to other Area Offices.

My father spent his last weeks in palliative care at the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre where he was much impressed by the dedicated service of all members of staff, without exception. My family is grateful to them all as their care and dedication ensured that his last days were bearable right to the very end. May he rest in peace.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday – 10 July 2016