Where Is The Study? JobsPlus’ Y Plate And Courier Labour Market Review Not Yet Published
A study that convinced the government to ban new third-country nationals from working as cab drivers and food delivery couriers has yet to be published.
When Prime Minister Robert Abela announced the ban last month, he insisted it was based on a scientific labour market review that the national employment agency JobsPlus has been working on for a while.
Abela said the study determined that Malta has an excess supply of these workers. When I asked him in an interview how many of these workers the market actually requires, he said he will have to check with the study.
However, weeks later, the study has yet to be published and my request to view it has not been answered.
JobsPlus only replied that the study didn’t start after the government announced its decision or as a direct response to recent protests by food couriers.
“Labour market testing is an ongoing and consistent process carried out by Jobsplus to ensure a fair and balanced labour market. This process considers various factors, including the current employment landscape, the needs of the Maltese economy, and the protection of workers’ rights,” it said.
Why is it so important to see this study?
If the decision was based on market research, it must mean there is some kind of data beyond political rhetoric to back it up and there are answers to these questions.
-How many Y plate drivers and food delivery couriers does Malta need?
-Is this a fixed number or should it rise if Malta’s population keeps growing and when there are more tourists?
-When people quit the industry and the number of available drivers and couriers sinks below the threshold, will JobsPlus open the market up to more people to fill the gap?
-Why can’t foreign workers who are already working other jobs in Malta drive a cab or deliver food as a side hustle, which is after all, what these platforms were originally intended for?
-Since the government is concerned that Maltese cab drivers aren’t earning enough and since income is largely determined by platform algorithms, does the government have data on how these algorithms work? Were these algorithms taken into account when determining market saturation?
These are pretty crucial questions that should have been explained as soon as the ban was announced. The implications could have ripple effects on the future of Malta’s economy. As it stands though, a month has passed and we have yet to hear anything beyond political rhetoric.
Should the government publish the study?
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