Trade union presence in Malta : trends in trade union membership levels and collective bargaining coverage

Abstract

This dissertation aims to explore the presence of trade unions in Malta in the current context which has experienced shifts both on a local level, first with the considerable rise in the working population in the last few years, and then with the implementation of EU Directive 2022/2041 on adequate wages in the European Union. This situation turns the spotlight on trade unions and assesses their presence in the workplace by setting a threshold for collective bargaining coverage. Through an analysis of trade union membership levels and observations on available data in relation to collective bargaining, along with evaluations of the information gathered from qualitative interviews with three trade union officials, this dissertation attempts to improve our understanding about the presence and relevance of trade unions in the Maltese local context through the combination of concepts and data. Given the expansive lengths of such a topic, this research aims to give a synthesis of the data available, and aspires to instil interest for further research and data collection to be pursued in future.