‘Lecturers’ strike 100% success’

Joanne Fenech

Oct 3rd 2008, 15:55

Clearly it is very easy to convince lecturers not to turn up for work. 100% of them !!

Noel Grima

Oct 1st 2008, 13:20

This strike barely affects us students. We get many no-shows from unworthy lecturers during the year, and always got through it. Here however they have a good reason, and advised us beforehand. Rest assured that every student worth his salt is nonetheless working (dissertations, assignments, research, studying, reading...). For us, all this strike means is swapping today's lectures with, say, next week's hours of research. It's different from the exam results where students' admission to degrees and jobs were at stake. So stop victimising us students.

I cannot but agree that there is a large number of lecturers who do not deserve their pay - however keeping down the salaries will only serve to drive away the ones who do deserve it. There are a number of lecturers who would easily earn 6-figures in the field, yet they dedicate themselves to us and research. The real problem is the lack of meritocracy. Awarding a performance bonus to everyone is a joke, and only discourages the ones who really earned it. A bonus implies exceeding expectations - in this case, the message is that they all performed above expectations...

The lecturers are the university's greatest asset, and have my full support.

l Galea

Oct 1st 2008, 13:09

@Joseph Ellis
Lack of comments mean that there were no comments to make, either in favour or against.

Re your comment that most people would normally clamour for early retirement, that may apply to those who are well off and paid handsomely because they can afford it, but you can rest assured that the majority of workers do not since they have a comparatively miserly pension relative to the cost of living.

Re public salaries you may find them in the budget document, but if any are missing they should be published.

David Briffa

Oct 1st 2008, 12:58

I will not comment about the actual dispute between the goverment and MUT. I'm sure MUT has valid reasons for requesting a better pay package and i'm also sure that the government has many factors to consider during such a negotiation.

What i WILL comment on however is the way in which these disputes have a tendancy to effect the innocent party ; the student. This morning University is packed with students who showed up to University not knowing whether their lecturers would show up or not. This represents a serious waste of time for students who do not like to start off their new academic year at the mercy of a dispute, being kept in the dark about whether their lectures are taking place or not.

This is not the first time an MUT vs Gvmt dispute has effected the student, we all remember the dispute which had students wondering about when marks would be published.

If you ask me, MUT should, at the very least, instruct the teachers on strike to advise the students by email that the lecture is cancelled.

Joseph Ellis

Oct 1st 2008, 12:41

@ I. Galea.

I see no comments on today's story about the "total success" of the dockyard's early retirement scheme. So, I wonder where the joke is. Of course, such a scheme would be a success as most people normally clamour to receive early retirement.

My point is no one seems to be bothered with the umpteenth waste of resources through this scheme which if anything should have been implemented years ago while so much bile is being poured with respect to the request for a new collective agreement which has expired more than three and a half years ago.

It would be interesting for gov't to render public the salaries and perks that top people in the civil service and in public entities are receiving and compare them to what is on offer to academics. I think if this were to take place, many people would change their tune.

A.Vella

Oct 1st 2008, 12:23

If I was the government I would offer what they are demanding on the basis that full-time lecturers may not have other incomes, so that they will be 100% dedicated to their jobs and set research benchmarks.

Lecturers abroad (of much better universities) earn less, in comparison to living costs, than what the union is demanding. In addition, they dedicate their life to research that mainly benefits the university they represent.

The standards of the university are falling, so much so, that in some departments lecturers are giving private tuition at an expensive cost to students. Private lessons at a cost from a lecturer at the university level is a huge humiliation and something that is unheard of in developed countries, since the main goal of university is to learn how to learn things by yourself.

Joe Vassallo

Oct 1st 2008, 12:22

@M. Borg
I think your initial comments are very arrogant and sarcastic. Public opinion is against the lecturers not out of envy, as you so childishly put it, but because the Union, and its members are obviously disregarding what is going on around them. Mintoff was right when he accused them of living in an ivory tower - unfo they are still there.

How can these people not realise that their claims are totally out of synch with the economic reality in this country? They are abusing their monopolistic position - give us what we want or the students will suffer....

By the way, let us not forget the very many consultancies that these people carry out on a private basis - for a good number of them, the salary they get from uni is just the cherry on the cake.

Let the lecturers threaten all they want - there are plenty of European Phd holders who would love to come and work here. Who knows perhaps they our students will gain more from their experience and knowledge.

P Debono

Oct 1st 2008, 12:13

The lecturers deserve all the slack they can get from the government and from students. You will never be treated with respect unless you set a precedent for the students to follow. Your arrogance is intolerable for the "centre of excellence" you are all preaching about. And while we're at it, why not mention the politics involved in setting the examination marks for those privileged sons and daughters of politicians and other influential people in the country? I've seen people that don't even deserve to have an English O Level who possess a degree from the University of Malta. I wonder why...

And another thing. Did you know that two OFFICIAL and SEPARATE surveys didn't even place Malta among the TOP 500 Universities in the world?!

l Galea

Oct 1st 2008, 12:10

Joseph Ellis
"but no one has yet commented on the dockyard early retirement scheme ..."

Are you joking Mr Ellis, or were you not living on this planet?

Government give the University lecturers professors etc what they deserve, but also increase all the other workers wages, salaries and pensions at par with the increase that the lecturers and professors get.

I expect all decent unions worthy of their name to support this proposal.

C. Micallef

Oct 1st 2008, 12:05

SALARY INC. TO BE LINKED WITH PRODUCTIVITY

Minister Dalli's recent comments on (more or less) the above subject theme are still echoing in my ears. One cannot however generalise. There are lecturers who are really productive & others who are not. If I was the Minister for Education I would ask each & every university lecturer what really is Malta profitting from their research and how many classes they lectured last year. Otherwise, let's face it....who doesn't enjoy pleanty of official & unofficial holidays & free time?!

Robert Attard

Oct 1st 2008, 11:59

The argument is not about an increase in the salaries but about the superb increase in salaries requested.If people do not agree with this request it doesn't mean that they envy lecturers. Hence, they don’t need to go for a PHD.Working with the government is very hard to have that salary. This action clarified that these people does not have a clue of Malta’s position.If the government afford these salaries and he is not spending them in a different way will be another story but not at this point in time.

This is the standard of living in Malta. Lecturers are not being under paid. Maybe they are under paid when compared with other countries but it is not a problem affecting the University but the entire country.Should all people go on strike?How about graduated people being under paid?

Please think outside the box. Requesting such a high salary is not a reality but a desire considering Malta’s position.My job’s salary in foreign countries is three times higher then in Malta.People like me should strike?

I think that there are other solutions rather then doing a strike at the beginning of a scholastic year.

J Farrugia

Oct 1st 2008, 11:56

If only one knew the goings on at the University one will request a criminal inquiry. All those professors, semi professors, lecturers, semi lecturers,. assistants, secretaries, etc., are costing us as much as the Malta Drydocks. And why? The results are there fore all to see. So that these newly produced professionals will feed on our blood and labour in the future.
It's time I think to see through the stipends system. As for the strike 100% success. This is one other vacation leave they have taken for themselves. As if the summer holidays were not enough for them. After holidaying abroad, they need some further holidays here in Malta.

S Micallef

Oct 1st 2008, 11:55

Your strike was a complete failure as some lectures were still held at junior college.

C. Abela

Oct 1st 2008, 11:48

@S Spiteri
It's not as if I did not explain that there is more, much more, then just corrections involved. However if you insist on looking only at this aspect, as if University is a glorified secondary school that is preparing its students for O' levels, then I can only suggest you try to broaden your views on what actually goes on in University in general.
And btw we are not talking of 20 student classes here, we talk of at least 5 fold that amount and at times even more. So bare with Lecturers if they don't tend to correct spelling mistakes (even though ppl use pcs and appropriate software for their work), however any flaws in argumentation or structure have to be pointed out. Maybe even discussed with students. But then again different lecturers use different approaches, similar to students for that. No?

A. Brincat

Oct 1st 2008, 11:42

@ A Daley

It seems you didn't get my point.

The uni. lecturers don't deserve the wage increase is mainly because of their arrogance such as failing students and their lack of respect towards the student and not for political reasons

I. M. Dingli

Oct 1st 2008, 11:41

@ Joseph Ellis

Yes true, the Dockyard issue is also a big burden on the country but at least it will be over by end December 2008. Finally we got rid of the Dockyard saga so we do not need to open the University saga now!! Should the Government agree to the raise expected by the MUT, we will have another Dockyard at Tal-Qroqq

J Farrugia

Oct 1st 2008, 11:34

Giann you may strike as much as you like. The end result will be that you will never get what you are clammering for. It would be a national disaster if ever the government heeds your requests. You are only hurting your students and it is no wonder that sometimes teachers are taking the brunt for this jerk's irresponsible actions. And than he has the arrogance of requesting police guards in every school of malta and gozo. Hallina Giann. Hu l-parir tieghi u irrizenja. Zmienek ghamiltu. issa hsara biss tista taghmel.

Joseph Ellis

Oct 1st 2008, 11:33

I think Mr A Brincat gets the prize for his comments. Let's not give a salary increase to academics because all they do is fail students. What kind of country we live in ? This reminds me of the rumpus which erupted when student nurses failed their exams. At that time, I do not recall any sense of outrage at the nurses union's reaction to such failures which practically demanded that the students be made to pass. It seems that mediocrity holds more virtue for some than excellence.

Mario Borg

Oct 1st 2008, 11:33

I think that the strike was a failure, lectures are being held regularly by the MAJORITY of the lecturers.

J. Calleja

Oct 1st 2008, 11:30

There are no lectures on the first day so what Mr. Bencini is saying is incorrect. They just do not deserve the wage increase in demand and should be grateful with what the government is offering them especially since students continuously complain that lecturers do not turn up for lectures or are left without the necessary notes etc etc. With this kind of behaviour, it is absolutely clear that they do not 'really care' about the students!!!!

C Calleja

Oct 1st 2008, 11:29

On many occasions some lectures dont even need a strike not to attend lectures.

Joseph Ellis

Oct 1st 2008, 11:28

It is extraordinary that so much bile is being poured in the context of a legitimate industrial action and so much rhetoric is being spent on the country's supposed economic situation but no one has yet commented on the dockyard early retirement scheme which has been branded as a "total success" in another story appearing today. It seems the country can afford 60 million euro plus to reduce the number of workers at the shipyards (something which should have been done years ago and not so many hundred millions of euros of losses later) but it does not have the resources to adequately remunerate its academic staff. If there are members of the academic staff who are not delivering, the university authorities should address such cases but this is no pretext for denying academics an adequate remuneration.

As for students missing lectures etc, this is a joke. I wonder how many times students miss a lecture because of hang-overs or oversleeping. At least, we used to do so in my student days and I am not scandalized at all.

I urge both parties to resort to arbitration to sort this issue.

C Cassar

Oct 1st 2008, 11:23

I would like to clarify that the salaries earned by doctors are lower than the ones requested by the lecturers. In addition for consultants to earn the top salary possible (which is anyway lower than the one requested by professors!) they have to stop all private practice! So in reality a very small percentage indeed is earning that salary. In the case of Professors, there seems to be no commitment whatsoever to give up on lucrative consultancies. So with all due respect when they keep referring to the medical profession they are misling the public.

A Daley

Oct 1st 2008, 11:21

Why should we give them an increase? Ha ha ha.

No problem mate.

Let the Brain Drain continue.

Let them go abroad and earn 5 times what they are earning in Malta.

Where are the Salaries (Bhall ta' barra) - Eddie 1990.

Another case of LIES and DECEIT.

Steph Camilleri

Oct 1st 2008, 11:21

It is utterly arrogant and insulting for government to issue a 'take it or leave' it stand and then to also say that the whole package will be withdrawn if the unions keep steadfast. Is this 2008 or 1980?

As for all the blogs by these people who are just spurting out unfair generalisations against lecturers may I say that when I was at University most lecturers in my faculty used to turn up for their lectures and give us their best, answer our emails even on weekends and in the holidays, meet us in the holidays even at their homes for dissertation supervision, monitor us throughout our course, make sure WE attend lectures, give us the whole unit of 14 hours even when they would have missed a lecture due to a conference or other duty (as these are replaced when a lecture is missed) and committed themselves to a life of research and studying. My supervisor had spent the whole summer writing out her Phd thesis, her only means of getting promoted from assistant lecturer to lecturer - so don't think that a lecturers life is easy.

S. Spiteri

Oct 1st 2008, 11:20

@ C Abela
A whole Summer correctin when you hand in an siignment and you get it months if not YEARS later with just a grade at the back of the assignment and not even markings anywhere ? And Transparency at university ? Compare that to a teacher where you are vulnerable to attacks from parents, authorities, students ...
One final point - are there ever lectures on the first day ? So as if the strike affected the students ?

Etienne Pavia

Oct 1st 2008, 11:10

I am an ex teacher and for the time I was teaching I always remember teachers having a bad pay hence I left the profession, just still teaching part-time occasionally. However, I believe that if there should be an increase, it should reflect all teachers and lecturers across the board as primary, secondary and other teachers still have low pay considering they spend a minimum of 4 years at uni like other professionals. If the lecturers demand an 80% increase as listed below, I do not think it is a strike on good grounds however a lesser increase should reflect ALL lecturers and teachers included.

A. Brincat

Oct 1st 2008, 11:09

I totaly agree with Liam Kelly

A.Brincat

Oct 1st 2008, 11:06

Why should we give them an increase?

When the only thing they do is to fail as many students as they can each year &
have no respect towards the students

Emanuel Vella

Oct 1st 2008, 11:02

The problem with Malta is that we always tend to go for the lowest common denominator. For four long decades we have killed all public sector motivation by dragging top management packages down to keep the lower grades happy. This is not conducive to enhancing professional development, rather oppositely it pulls quality down. It is a shame that the authorities resort to "shaming" the academic staff by publishing the seemingly extraordinarily high figures to entertain public disgust. What they did not publish is the accompanying list of additional onerous tasks which the University is expecting of its academics who are constantly benchmarked against their European counterparts who have infinitely higher resources and much better working conditions than our academics.

It may very well be true that the financial situation in the country cannot sustain the quantum of increases required but we have to chose between affordable mediocrity and unaffordable excellence. I also find great solace in the wisdom of Oscar Wilde who once stated that "Accountants know the cost of everything and the value of nothing." Whilst budgets are very important we must make sure not to dismantle good things for the sake of balancing the books.

I. M. Dingli

Oct 1st 2008, 11:01

@ M. Borg

You are talking about a vocational career so it is not that easy to say, swap jobs etc. I do not have that vocation but on the other hand the job I practice is underpaid when compared to Cyprus (to use your same measure). What should I do? Enrol in a Union and call for strikes?

I’m in favour of an increase in their salaries but what they are requesting is absurd.

M.Borg

Oct 1st 2008, 11:01

I know it;s going off at a tangent but to continue from my previous input. Many complain about fees of medical consultants. Perhaps yes there are some who over charge. Yet I have many friends in the medical profession who would have been given the go ahead to go to the UK with barely 4 weeks advance notice. Many of whom at the time with a pregnant wife and little offspring in tow. Once in the UK, their medical training takes them from one area to another having to relocate frequently. They would have left behind in Mlata a home loan I imagine. What I am trying to say is that apart from the job responsibilities, before that, such professionals along with their spouses and children, would have endured the utmost and made huge sacrifices.
So what is so wrong in bearing the fruit of such hard work and pain? I will never defend those who overcharge unscrupulously but surely there are many who charge modest fees in line with their specialisation.
I for one, would never want to enter the medical profession yet I am full of respect for what they do.

l Galea

Oct 1st 2008, 10:59

@M.Borg
The posts may be open to application for all, but not all have a chance to be chosen, even if they have more qualifications than those who are.

As regards the rest of us lesser mortals, we want a comparable increase in in our wages to make ends meet.

And please don't forget the pensioners.

Karl Abela

Oct 1st 2008, 10:56

And then we wonder why the government is running a deficit ! Kulhadd irrid!!

They have the cheek to ask for a hefty raise when we all know that most teachers do not work a 40 hour week !

d. borg

Oct 1st 2008, 10:55

I would strike too for such an exorbitant pay. I hope that if they get as much pay as their European counterparts, then all the workers of Malta will get a payrise equivalent to their European counterparts because as far as I know we are all in the EU not just a section of the population.

Michael Gatt

Oct 1st 2008, 10:52

@Anthony Portelli
1) It is UTTERLY untrue that the Lecturers have THREE months holidays.
2) Apart from this lie, there were lecturers who worked all through the summer and successfully organised an international conference involving hundreds of foreign participants. Others had other activities during the summer months.
3)Lecturers had to leave our country for many years(and this, during the best part of their lives) to study to obtain the PhD, deprived of their families and friends. Very often, apart from their studies they also had to work during their stay abroad to cover their expences.
4)If you assume that lecturers have had it so good, I wonder why you didn't read a PhD and become a lecturer.

Robert Attard

Oct 1st 2008, 10:51

Their request does not cover their field of work effort. On what basis did they calculate the Salary? Are they comparing their wages with foreign salaries? €80k is a very high salary in Malta and definitely does not reflect their workforce. The majority of CEOs in Malta have less then that! A salary increase maybe justified but not that high. My friends are studying at the University and they complain a lot about their lecturers. Reading from slides to university students does not reflect the requested salaries.

Clearly, this strike demonstrates only the ignorance of some people. Instead they work more and justify there salary, they go on strike. They only want to have their pockets deeper for less. It is better to justify there salary and then request and reasonable salary.

Anyone can give a reason to justify such a high increase?

Pity the students that want to start their studying.

Liam Kelly

Oct 1st 2008, 10:48

I find it rather arrogant for Mr Bencini to call a strike 100% successful: Was it successful to those students who have lectures, dissertations or need advice and information?

At least it makes one thing absolutly clear: When it comes down to it; they have utterly no interest in students at all.

The general consensus amongst students i've talked to is that teaching staff do not deserve any pay increase based on their performance and poor work ethic: Not turning up for lectures is something that seriously needs to be addressed.

By the way, its interesting that the teachers unions have adopted the North Korean approach to unionism...tow the party line or else! Why aren't teachers allowed to teach if they so wish to? Isnt that blatent authoritarianism?

The teachers have no sympathy with me or any other student i know.

C Calleja

Oct 1st 2008, 10:48

A strike is a success only if you get what you want. So far, they have gotten nothing. Thumbs up for government for the harsh stand. As for the students, any seasoned one will say that it's business as usual. During Uni years, you get used to Lecturers not showing up anyway.

M.Borg

Oct 1st 2008, 10:40

Many bloggers here should first read the news carefully before jumping to conclusions and engage in mud slinging. So for the benefit of correctness:
1) Unions had earlier stated that their proposals are based on European counterparts in the region and cited Cyprus as an example...so no they are not demanding swiss salaries!
2) Again earlier it was reported that negotiations have been ongoing for the past 2 years and even throughout this summer - unlike what J. Busuttil is insinuating.

Just a final suggestion to all those bloggers who beleive that academic work is a walk in the park: Calls for applications for academic posts are open to ALL so anyone feeling envious or interested in securing a job at Univeristy, is more than welcome to apply when the next call is out. If they don't it's either because they are happy with their exisitng salary/job or they do not meet the requirements/qualifications to apply. Sorry to the latter - tough luck! Next time sweat it out and study for more than 2 decades of your life to earn yourself qualifications that would make you eligible to apply!
I would defend the medical profession in a similar manner too!

A Abela

Oct 1st 2008, 10:38

Do we want the best lecturers at our university? Do you know that the University of Malta does not feature in world rankings? If you want the worst for our students, retain their present pay. No sucessful lecturer will work at the university with such a ridiculous pay. And btw, I am a student not a lecturer.

C. Abela

Oct 1st 2008, 10:27

@Anthony Portelli
Why does cikku il poplu have to comment in such a way that shows the persistent immaturity of certain Maltese ppl. I suggest Mr. Portelli first checks out his sources of information and then comment. Contrary to Teachers, who for the sake of argument also do not have 3 months of relaxed summer holidays, Lecturers (at University and Junior College) have only the month of August. One should not forget corrections of exams, thesis projects and more, as well as preparation for new courses and projects (EU related and local). This for the information of the public in general, goes on all the year round, and at times is not even done during office hours, but on Saturdays' and Sundays'. All these blunt comments highlight the fact that ppl still don't know what really goes on at university.

Michael Tabone

Oct 1st 2008, 10:24

Shows you where their priorities lie. Having a pay which is good enough for a decent standard of living is not good enough for their high standard of living. I am presuming MUT is putting a lot of pressure on all Lecturers, even the renegades (those excellent teachers who in the past were seen as renegades by the university staff).

The world's economy is going to hell and they demand more money because their pay rise doesn't meet what they say are their needs.

I do believe the lecturers do deserve a higher wage, as well as everyone else in this country. But with the current situations happening, it seems a little rediculous.

This is Malta, not a country like Switzerland or Norway. Untill our Economy becomes more stable and healthy, we can only hope to make ends meet. Costs of living are going up for everyone not just University lecturers and other lecturers. It's getting difficult for everyone.

M Vella

Oct 1st 2008, 10:15

So I take it that students will be borrowing notes from their colleagues - AS USUAL. Nothing much changes, except that the Professors are now even more the laughing stock of the Institution. Congratulations...

J. Busuttil

Oct 1st 2008, 10:14

They had all summer to discuss such issue did they really have to wait to the beginning of the scholastic year to do all this !!!

Michael Ellul

Oct 1st 2008, 10:11

As all strikes including that of public transport this strike is another burden on our economy especially now during these financial crisis internationally. Who will be making up for this financial loss caused by this strike? Surely foreign students willing to pay and use the excellence of maltese educational institutions would no longer want to come here due to the strikes held by lecturers at the detriment of the students.

A strike is a right it must be used with caution. Shame 1st day of school with no lecturers i remember my old school day where i missed a lot when teachers striked for months in the 80's

A Camilleri

Oct 1st 2008, 10:11

Who wouldn't for an 80% increase!!!!!!!!

The doctors got a hefty increase, but these deserve it since they work whole days, and almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The University staff cannot, not even in their dreams, compare themselves with hospital doctors.

If these 'elite' workers (University lecturers) are given what they request, then all of us would ask for the same increases. We'll paralyse not just the University, but the whole Islands.

80% increase! Huh.... Who will pay for these? Us? ....Mela, forget it.

Anthony Portelli

Oct 1st 2008, 10:07

After 3 months doing what comes naturally for the summer,not the workers, mind you, they now go on strike.
Presumably the handout for the summer was not enough.
Tell it to the Workers who toiled on the job in the hot summer months.