Educators overwhelmingly approve sectoral agreement bringing an end to 18-month saga
The Malta Union of Teachers says 92.3% of members who were eligible to vote approved the sectoral agreement, paving the way for better pay packets
Malta Union of Teachers members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the sectoral agreement that will see improved pay packets for primary and secondary school educators.
The MUT announced on Saturday evening that 92.3% of those who registered to vote in an online ballot had approved the agreement.
The MUT said that from the 2,462 members eligible to vote, 2,108 cast their vote and 35 abstained. Of those who voted, 1,945 voted in favour and 163 voted against.
In a statement the MUT said the vote concludes an 18-month process of negotiations with government that were preceded by several months of preparatory work.
The sectoral agreement had expired in December 2022 and in November last year the union ordered a one-day strike after negotiations stalled.
“The MUT has just communicated formally with the Minister of Education to proceed with the signing of the new sectoral agreement,” the statement said.
The agreement is expected to see educators at all levels benefit from substantial increases in allowance and better pay as a result of grade progression.
Education Minister Clifton Grima welcomed the vote and said the agreement offers a financial package that improves remuneration while doing justice to the profession. “The substantial increases are the highest ever given to all educators covered by this agreement,” Grima said, thanking those involved in the negotiating process.
The agreement applies to all primary and secondary State school teachers, LSEs, Kindergarten teachers, and management.
The MUT had last month suspended the vote after educators on the highest scale objected to the first iteration of the agreement because it did not provide substantially better conditions relative to improvements registered in other scales. The impasse was resolved following talks between the MUT and the government with teachers on the highest scale being awarded a new allowance equivalent to what they would have benefitted if a new scale was introduced.
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