F’April 2017, il-Kummissjoni Ewropea pproponiet Direttiva biex “tappoġġja l-bilanċ bejn ix-xogħol u l-ħajja tal-ġenituri u l-persuni li jieħdu ħsiebhom”, li bħalissa qed tiġi diskussa fil-Kunsill tal-Unjoni Ewropea
Il-Kunsill Nazzjonali ta’ l-Anzjani (KNA) hu parti minn qafas tas-soċjetà ċivili Ewropea u jemmen bi sħiħ li jista’ jkollu impatt effettiv.
Il-qafas ta’ leave legali u istituzzjonali eżistenti jonqos milli jindirizza b’mod suffiċjenti l-problemi li jaffaċċjaw il-ġenituri u l-persuni li jieħdu ħsiebhom ta’ kuljum, u ma jipprovdix soluzzjonijiet adekwati għall-bżonnijiet tas-soċjetajiet moderni (jiġifieri popolazzjoni li qed tixjieħ, pagi bejn is-sessi u ugwaljanza fis-suq tax-xogħol.
Il-proposta għal Direttiva dwar il-bilanċ bejn ix-xogħol u l-ħajja, hija l-aħjar triq ‘il quddiem u issa għandha tiġi approvata u segwita malajr bl-infurzar u l-monitoraġġ. Xi wħud mill-miżuri inklużi huma partikularment utli, bħall-introduzzjoni ta’ leave tal-paternità imħallas ta’ għaxart ijiem, leave imħallas tal-carers, leave tal-ġenituri mħallsa mhux trasferibbli (b’livell ta’ leave tal-mard) u d-dritt li jitolbu kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol flessibbli. Dawn se jġibu bidliet reali fil-ħajja ta’ diversi cittadini Ewropej.
Ħafna nies fl-Ewropa qed jitilqu mill-proġett Ewropew, iħossuhom li tilfu il-mixja ghall-globalizzazzjoni u jfittxu risposti għal sentimenti anti-Ewropej. Din hija konsegwenza tal-fatt li f’dawn l-aħħar snin l-UE insiet il-wiċċ uman tagħha u l-ambizzjoni tagħha li tmur lil hinn mill-integrazzjoni finanzjarja u ekonomika biex tibni Ewropa b’ruh soċjali.
Il-proklamazzjoni tal-Pilastru Ewropew tad-Drittijiet Soċjali qed tintlaqa’ tajjeb, u t-twassil tad-Direttiva dwar il-Bilanċ tax-Xogħol u l-Ħajja se jkun l-ewwel eżempju konkret ta’ kif l-intenzjonijiet tajbin jistgħu jsiru realtà.
Il-KNA jifhem li dan jista’ jeħtieġ xi investiment u aġġustamenti għal-liġijiet u l-politika nazzjonali. Għaldaqstant, ġie stabbilit kuntatt mal-Ministeri tax-Xoghol u s-Solidarjeta Soċjali rispettivament, u l-KNA hija impenjata li tibqa’ għad-dispożizzjoni sħiħa tagħhom għal kwalunkwe assistenza meqjusa xierqa.
Peter Paul Bonnici
PRO – Kunsill Nazzjonali għall-Anzjani
Directive on Work-Life Balance
In April 2017, the European Commission proposed a Directive to “support work-life balance for parents and carers”, currently debated at the Council of the European Union
Kunsill Nazzjonali ghal Anzjani is part of a European civil society network and strongly believe it could have a real impact.
The existing legal and institutional leave framework fails to sufficiently address problems faced by parents and carers on a daily basis, and does not provide adequate solutions for the needs of modern societies (i.e. an ageing population, the gender pay and pension gap, and equality in the labour market).
The proposal for a Directive on Work-Life Balance is the right way forward and it must now be swiftly approved and followed up with enforcement and monitoring. Some of the measures included are particularly helpful, such as the introduction of paid paternity leave of ten days, paid carers’ leave, non-transferable paid parental leave (at sick leave level), and the right to request flexible working conditions. These will bring real changes to the lives of many Europeans.
Many people in Europe are becoming disengaged from the European project, feeling they have lost in the race of globalisation and seeking responses to anti-European sentiments. This is a consequence of the fact that in recent years the EU has forgotten its human face, and its ambition to go beyond financial and economic integration to build a real Social Europe.
The proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights is being welcomed, and delivering the Work-Life Balance Directive will be a first concrete example of how good intentions can become reality.
KNA understands that this may require some investment and adjustments to national laws and policies. Accordingly, alerts have been communicated with the relative Ministries of Social Policy, Employment and KNA is committed to remain at their full disposal for any assistance deemed appropriate.
Peter Paul Bonnici
PRO – National Council for the Elderly