Government puts pressure on MUT to immediately suspend MCAST directives
Government has "invited" the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) to immediately suspend industrial directives that have long impacted students' lives, so that discussions and negotiations on workers' conditions can resume without delay.In a statement issue
Government has "invited" the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) to immediately suspend industrial directives that have long impacted students' lives, so that discussions and negotiations on workers' conditions can resume without delay.
In a statement issued by the Education Ministry, government said that students should never become victims of industrial disputes.
"In the education sector, every process and negotiation should always prioritize student life as a central point, present in all forms of discussions, without compromising workers' rights," the statement said.
It said that following eight weeks of negotiations led by the Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister and the Permanent Secretary within the Ministry for Education, alongside the CEO of the Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology (MCAST), with the assistance of the Industrial Relations Unit, the MUT was requested to withdraw actions that specifically affected the students' educational journey.
It said that every student has the right to live a serene life while receiving a quality education.
Government said that the administration also communicated a number of principles and conditions that must apply to negotiations across various sectors and unions, ensuring their safeguarding.
"It is worth noting that several weeks ago, the government presented a comprehensive document including financial proposals at the discussion table. These proposals reflect substantial increases, yet to date, no counterproposal has been presented," government said.
The statement continued that therefore, at this stage, the issues are not financial but rather related to demands for changes in the presence of lecturers and other staff on campus.
Despite this, government said that tangible progress has been recorded on other aspects of the negotiations, particularly regarding lecturers.
"The principles guiding the administration during these negotiations were to improve workers' conditions, as has been done with other workers, while safeguarding students' rights and the quality of education provided. The administration acted responsibly, keeping sustainability in mind," government said.
The statement said that it is important to note that throughout the negotiations, there were several requests made for the withdrawal of industrial directives that have long impacted student life.
"These requests were consistently denied, and resistance remains, as the directives are still in effect. The administration remains open to further negotiations once these directives are suspended. It once again invites the MUT to immediately suspend these directives to resume negotiations without delay," government said.
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