The continued abuse of workers by Bolt and affiliated recruitment agencies is a direct result of the government’s inadequate employment and immigration policies, NGO il-Kollettiv has said.
“Bolt and its associated recruitment agencies’ model amounts to modern slavery,” said il-Kollettiv secretary Wayne Flask. “Every year, thousands of workers are brought to Malta expecting to find a job and a decent quality of life; every year, thousands of them have to go back to their countries of origin impoverished, humiliated, and indebted to their families.”
Earlier this week, Bolt reported an alleged drop of 19% in its taxi drivers’ workforce, accompanied by a retaliatory surge in tariffs, after the government announced it will be suspending temporary work permits in this sector.
“Bolt has flooded the market with workers and vehicles, and is now using its “partners” as a shield against industry regulation. These workers are brought here under false pretences, after paying huge fees and up to 50% of their salaries, and forced to live in squalid conditions as a result,” he said. “Every time a worker is sent back, they are replaced by another, who has to pay huge fees and commission to the agency, irrespective of whether there’s a job for them or not. While workers suffer inhumane conditions and residents suffer Bolt’s increase in “economic activity”, only a few individuals really benefit from this model.”
He blamed government economic policies for the situation, saying government discourse should shift from “unneeded foreign workers” to “unneeded and unfitting economic policies which are straining lower-income workers”.
The group heavily criticised the existing 10-day policy, whereby third-country nationals who lose their job and remain unemployed for more than then days are sent back to their country of origin. “It is impossible even for seasoned professionals to find a new job within 10 days, let alone for thousands of foreign workers imported here without any training whatsoever.”
The group expressed its solidarity with stricken workers, and called on the government to immediately review its employment and migration policies.
“The government should stop taking haphazard, knee-jerk decisions which have the effect of shocking the system, to the detriment of workers and residents. The mantra of putting economic growth above human rights and the integration of workers in society has led to the normalisation of slavery. The government should show a firm hand in regulating the new markets that have emerged unbridled in the last years, whilst offering support to the affected workers. In particular, the practice of subcontracting workers should be eliminated, as this is the single biggest factor leading to widespread abuse in both private and public economic sectors,” it said.
Il-Kollettiv also called for a capacity analysis of the various economic sectors to determine how many workers are needed in each. “The number of workers needed by the construction, tourism, catering and healthcare industries must be studied, determined, and capped. This study should also shine a light on what skill sets the country needs, and the government should be providing direction and facilities for these workers to be re/trained.”
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