‘You Just Don’t Care’: Patricia Graham Demands Prime Minister Intervenes To Treat TCNs Fairly
Patricia Graham, a citizen campaigner and advocate on behalf of the rights of third-country nationals, has sent an open letter urging Prime Minister Robert Abela to confront the scourge of employers failing to register their employees with Jobsplus.
“When an employer fails to register an employee with Jobsplus, and the employee makes an application to ID Malta for a change of employer, the period of time they have remained unregistered flags them as ‘irregular immigrants’ – even though they have been working legally during this whole period, paying taxes and other contributions,” read Graham’s letter to the Prime Minister.
“Their application is then rejected, which leads to them receiving a letter to appeal or leave the country.”
“During appeal they have no status, no employment, no salary and many end up packed into rooms with others in the same predicament – whilst unscrupulous employers take advantage of their situations paying minimal (not minimum) wages while the fear of deportation hangs over their heads.”
Graham is founder of the EU Nationals and Malta Residents Advisory Group, which has been offering advice and assistance to people living and working in Malta.
Many of those who approach Graham are commonly being victimised by negligent and exploitative employers and landlords. Even when the law is on these TCNs’ side, they are often not being enforced.
The appeal being made by Graham in this letter is more than reasonable.
With one notable exception, she is only requesting that current laws are actually enforced. Legal protections must be applied equally – not just to Maltese or European people.
“Many of those I am currently dealing with, including baby Isla’s mother, have lived in Malta for years and are completely legal.”
“The only illegal person is their employer, who failed to abide by the law – and got away scot-free.”
The only regulatory changes Graham is requesting is this:
“I would like to see them banned from employing TCN’s for a definite period, and be required to pay the salaries and contributions of those employees they failed, whilst the process is resolved.”
Employers who fail to register their employees with Jobsplus are breaking the law. Employers who pay less than minimum wage are breaking the law. Landlords who evict tenants without a court order are breaking the law.
If these laws are not enforced, and these violations are not addressed, the Maltese state is proving that it does not believe certain people to be worthy of respect, dignity, and legal protection.
“I am told daily that you just don’t care. These people have no vote, so why would you care?”
“I have been fighting this dreadful system for many years and I make no apology in saying that it does seem quite deliberate that you choose to ignore the plight of so many, who give so much, and make absolutely no effort to make the system a fairer one.”
Graham has predicted that over the coming months and years, if serious government interventions are not taken, Malta will become even more racially segregated.
Her argument is that if Malta is to continue importing “cheap labour” by granting TCNs work permits without verifying employers’ intentions, those people will be priced out of living in more expensive areas.
They would then be “bussed in” to work every day, before being sent back out of sight to spend their nights in illegally overcrowded residences.
“If Malta can’t cope with the influx of TCN’s – and we know it can’t, with 500 applications submitted every day – then it is time to close the door until you find a system that will work without financially harming those who have paid a small fortune to come here.”
“If action is not taken soon, Prime Minister, the next stop will be to accelerate EU interventions already in process as a matter of urgency, but I suspect that doesn’t bother you either.”
What do you think should be done for TCNs in Malta?
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