Government intervention requested earlier this month, unions insist
The union representing university lecturers (Umasa) and the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) yesterday said they had requested the university to involve the "highest government authorities" to help solve the impasse over the new collective agreement but to date the request had not been met.
The unions were reacting to comments given to The Times on Friday when an Education Ministry spokesman was asked to confirm whether it had received any such request. The spokesman had then said that the ministry had not received any formal request.
Umasa and the MUT yesterday published a letter dated September 11 to university Rector Juanito Camilleri where they said: "In order to conclude the new collective agreement before the start of the new academic year, we appeal to you to directly involve the highest authorities in government who are able to take a decision without any further delay".
The two unions have a trade dispute with the university over the new collective agreement for academic staff at university and the Junior College.
The union representing university lecturers has said it did not rule out strike action when the new academic year begins on October 1, should talks over the collective agreement remain deadlocked.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Petrol price up 6c
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
3 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Joe Tabone-Adami
Sep 23rd 2008, 15:18
Mammon, Oh Mammon, What mock-heroics are not resorted to in order to appease you!! What a way to educate our youth in their responsibilities!!
T. Young
Sep 23rd 2008, 14:28
Apparently they've decided to use the students yet again as hostages & bargaining chips, just like the earlier dispute towards the end of the previous scholastic term. It is absurd that the unions & lecturers are (possibly) resorting to industrial action just when a new year is about to begin.
I distinctly remember the hassle & headaches they caused for many students that I know of when they refused to forward the end-of-year results to be sent to students. This is an unfair tactic of taking advantage of the fact that education is Malta's number one priority, & thus a "soft underbelly" of the government that ought to be targetted & squeezed for more money, money that is being diverted elsewhere for uses that are far more urgent.
Last but not least, if what the unions claims is true, why didn't Rector Juanito Camilleri request government aid but sat on it (& possibly is still sitting on it) all this time? Please just get this over with & resolve this issue before Malta's bright future stars are forced to suffer in indignity & silence. No wonder many young Maltese are leaving our shores for better education!
P Debono
Sep 23rd 2008, 13:30
Great. They had a whole summer to negotiate this blessed deal, and now they're talking about a strike AGAIN so that the students have to suffer YET AGAIN.
Have you no shame?