BRIEF HISTORY LEADING TO THE FORMATION OF THE MALTA EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATION

The MALTA EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATION was formed on December 1st 1965 following the amalgamation of the ASSOCIATION OF EMPLOYERS and the MALTA EMPLOYERS’ CONFEDERATION.

UNION / ASSOCIATION OF EMPLOYERS

On the initiative of Dr Joseph J. Cassar Galea, a Meeting was convened on March 1st 1958 at Palazzo Caraffa, Old Bakery Street, Valletta, at which a number of persons attended in order to set up a union of employers.

The Meeting, which was held under the chairmanship of Dr Cassar Galea, agreed to form a Commission from among persons present, whose terms of reference were to complete the Statute of the proposed Union.

The following gentlemen were appointed Members of the Commission:

Dr Maurice Agius Vadala
Mr Edward C. Arrigo
Mr George C. Camilleri
Mr Victor Camilleri
Dr Joseph Cassar Galea
Mr Ciantar
Mr Alfred Hili
Mr Guido Laferla
Mr Salv. Mallia Pulverenti
Mr Aurelio Mea
Mr Anthony Miceli Farrugia
Mr Paul Vella

The Commission met on two occasions at the Malta Chamber of Commerce and duly completed its work on the draft Statute.

The UNION OF EMPLOYERS was officially founded on March 17th 1958 at a General Meeting again held at Palazzo Caraffa, when the Statute was approved and the first Council and Officers were appointed.

Mr George E. Camilleri was elected President, but for personal reasons did not accept and at a subsequent General Meeting held a week later on March 25th 1958, Mr Anthony Miceli Farrugia was unanimously acclaimed President.

The other Members elected to Council were:

Mr Aurelio Mea - Vice-President
Mr Salv. Mallia Pulverenti - Hon Secretary
Mr Carmel Falzon - Hon Treasurer
Mr Edward C. Arrigo - Member
Mr Carmel Bajada - Member
Mr George C. Camilleri - Member
Mr Victor Camilleri - Member
Mr Paul Vella - Member

Mr Guido Laferla was appointed Permanent Secretary

The Union was officially registered with the Director of Labour as a union of employers in 1959/1960 when Mr A. Zammit Tabona was President.

At the Annual General Meeting held on February 17th 1960 the Union amended parts of the Statute and changed its name to the ASOCIATION OF EMPLOYERS and registered the new name and amended rules with the Director of Labour on March 15th 1960.

The following gentlemen served as Presidents of the Union (later Association) of Employers until the Malta Employers’ Association was formed on December 1st 1965:

Mr Anthony Miceli Farrugia (1958/1959)
Mr Anthony Zammit Tabona (1959/1961)
Mr Frank Diss (1961/1962)
Mr Anthony Miceli Farrugia (1962/1963)
Major A.J. Calascione (1963)
Mr Anthony Zammit Tabona (1963/1965)
Major A.J. Calascione (1965)

MALTA EMPLOYERS’ CONFEDERATION

The MALTA EMPLOYERS’ CONFEDERATION was officially founded on June 24th 1960 at a meeting held for the purpose at 292/7 Kingsway, Valletta, on the initiative and under the sponsorship of the Association of Employers and under the chairmanship of Mr Anthony Zammit Tabona. Besides the Association, a number of individual British Companies operating in Malta at the time also became members of the Confederation.