Museum Egalite’ - the GWU’s history museum, has been added to the network of museums that adorn Valletta, Malta’s capital city. This museum is located at the main entrance of the Workers’ Memorial Building, the GWU’s headquarters. Each museum portrays a different facet of our history. So does Museum Egalite.
The Museum Egalite’ was set up to honour all those who endeavoured to build the GWU into the union that it is today. Since that time the GWU has been recognizes by workers as defender of their rights and guarantor of social justice in Malta.
Equipped with the latest multimedia technology, Museum Egalite is an astounding way to relive the glorious pastof the GWU which has been a protagonist in our nation's socio-political history in the making.
The GWU itself is the focal point of section four of the museum. This section focuses on the role of the GWU in Maltese society. One part concentrates on the Workers’ Memorial Building (WMB) which is located on the site that until WW II housed the Auberge de France. Highlioghted also are the riots of June 7, 1919. A portrait of Manuel Attard, Giuseppe Bajada, Carmelo Bajada and Wenzu Dyer, the four victims of the riots, together with that of Emanuele Dimech, a prominent figure in the struggle for social and political awakening of the Maltese people in that era are on display in this section.
Another important episode in this section is the general strike of of 28 April, 1958 iordered by the GWU. Reggie Miller, the founding father of the GWU holds a special place in this section. The Minutes of the first Council meeting in Miller’s own calligraphy together with the desk and typewriter he used are in exhibition.
The GWU is also a a leading organisation in the media sector. Section five as a matter of fact focuses on the GWU and journalism. We find the front page of the first issue of it-Torca, and l-orizzont, the weekly and daily newspapers owned by the GWU. A Linotype machine used in the printing industry is also on display.
The sixth and final section shows the GWU structure and role. This section focuses on the union's traditional role - of safeguarding and improving the conditions of work and iots role in the future.
Museum Egalite’ is designed to please the eye and yet preserve the exhibits in their original state. Accessibility is one of the main features of Museum Egalite. In fact, the GWU has taken this opportunity to make the necessary adjustments in its buildings to guarantee accessibility to all.