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James Debono
The number of workers whose sole income derives from a part-time job increased from 17,013 in 2001 to 24,386 in 2006 – a dramatic increase of 43 per cent in just five years – possibly reflecting an increased participation of women in the labour market.
Part-time work tends to be more attractive to those seeking to reconcile work and family responsibilities.
But the rise in the number of those whose sole income comes from part-time work also implies an increase in those lacking job security and who may be working in precarious conditions. Part-timers working for less than 19 hours do not benefit from sick leave and other benefits. Trade unions denounce some employers for bypassing the law by engaging part-timers for 19 hours with two different companies. The Malta Employers Association has condemned this practice.
Trade unions have proposed to extend benefits to all workers on a pro rata basis irrespective of the hours worked. But the MEA warned that this could result in employers preferring to employ part-timers who already have a job, rather than employ those who previously did not have a job.
The budget has partially addressed the plight of part-timers by setting the national insurance contribution for part-timers working for more than eight hours a day at 10 per cent of their current income.
The number of part timers who also have a full-time job has also increased from 13,914 in 2001 to 19,143 in 2006 – an increase of 37 per cent. Overall the number of part-timers has increased from 30,658 to 43,177 – an increase of 40 per cent.
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