Saturday, 13th December 2008 - 10:46CET
MUT leaves CMTU
The MUT Council has renewed its confidence in its president, John Bencini.
The Malta Union of Teachers has decided to withdraw its membership from the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions.
The union said that this decision, taken by a secret ballot, was final and irrevocable.
The CMTU suspended the union last week following a dispute which started when the MUT proposed the formation of a Trade Union Council just days after all trade unions joined forces to protest against utility rates.
The MUT's proposal was described by CMTU president William Portelli as "untimely". Although the teachers' union took exception to this comment, Mr Portelli would not retract it.
The MUT and the CMTU also differed in their reaction to the final government proposal on the utility tariffs.
The MUT council unanimously passed a vote of confidence in its president John Bencini.
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Comments
If the Maltese trade unions form a TUC, one will have to ask whether there is still need for the CMTU? One augurs that this was not the real reason for the CMTU president referring to the MUT's proposal as 'untimely'
The people doubting your credentials are simply fools who do not know where you stood during those 'anni di piombo'. I know you as a person who has always been ready to stand up and fight for what is right irrespective of the party in government.
I think the CMTU leadership's decision was purely an exercise in power preservation when the MUT expressed its no confidence in the President.
Still had Mr. Portelli's common sense prevailed the situation could have been averted. He obviously did not and instead went on record to claim that CMTU actions were not personal. Who does he think he is kidding?
1. The point was not the TUC but the fact that the CMTU issued a statement that obviously did not have the agreement of all affiliate unions.
2. I think it is William Portelli who broke the CMTU through inept, ill-thought approach not John Bencini. The MUT President's first obligation is towards his members not the Confederation.
William Portelli's ill timed statement trodded over the concerns that MUT members have. I shudder to think this statement could be an exercise in political appeasment.
It is sad that the late Alfred Buhagiar was not around today. Had he been the CMTU president this would never have happened. You may have forgotten this but during the days of the Labout govt (1996-98) the MUBE(William Portelli's union) had acted like the MUT is doing now (ie: not necessarily in line with the CMTU's press releases) and this was reported a number of times in the press.
However the CMTU leadership intelligently never suspended the MUBE and respected the right of the MUBE to have a divergent opinion.
Food for thought perhaps?
Both my parents were teachers and when they were locked out , people used to make disparaging remarks because they reverted to industrial actions. The CMTU was at the forefront to collect money in aid of the teachers.
Some CMTU members besides being transferred and even beaten as a result of their solidarity with MUT. I bet you forgot or don't know those times. I bet today you can strike without being transferred or beaten. That's democracy and that's the way it should be. But scars are too deep to heal and Mr.Bencini was successul in breaking the CMTU apart. Is it because the MAM striked a good deal before the elections and you were begging for more and did not reach your goal?
Well done Mr Bencini, actions are louder than words.. Mr Eli Vassallo, you took us decades back in history, for just a little, you could have taken us in pre-history times too, adam and eve!
Mr. Bencini, your'e a true shield of us teachers. In this uncertain period, backstabbing from CMTU and other undesirable situations, you took a hard decision to leave the CMTU, well done. Continue to work for the interests of us teachers. We are all behind you, well done! I have absolute faith in you and your decisions.
This needed not have happened had you respected the rights of the MUT to her views instead of issuing a statement evidently not all members agreed to.
Mr. John Bencini is a real gentleman and one of the very few leaders who stands up to be counted. He stood up to be counted during the 80's against the Socilaist Government when he was an MUT Council member. He stood up to be counted when his Union came out in favour of Malta joining the EU. He stood up to be counted when the Labour party before the last election came out with the famous "reception class" He stood up to be counted when his Union had joined the GWU in a protest in Valletta a few years ago icw the reduction of Vacation leave for workers. He stood uo to be counted in the recent Valletta Unions manifestation. Yes, this gentleman is unique. There is one thing he never does - being a lackey. Malta needs more courageous people like this guy.
Meta l-MUT hadet azzjonijiet industrijali, tac-CMTU BISS qabzu ghalihom. Tafu x'kien jghajruhom tal-GWU? Corma Moghoz Taparsi Unon.
Meta l-MUT hadet azzjonijiet industrijali, is-CMTU hadet azzjonijiet ta' solidarjeta u meta l-Gvern tal-labour kecciehom ghax xhur shah BLA PAGA. Tac-CMTU biss kienu jmorru jibrulhom il-flus biex ghalinqas ma jmutux bil-guh! Tal-GWU, inkluz l-Orizzont u t-Torca kienu jfahhru l-Gvern Laburista li kien se joqtolhom bil-guh!!
Tiftakru?
Il-Grazzi llum? L-MUT titlaq mis-CMTU. Ara tidholx mal-GWU ukoll!
Why dont we all call a spade a spade once and for all. Ask anyone in the streets what perception people have of UHM or CMTU. They would say "dawk blue". Ask the same question re GWU, they would say "dawk homor". Ask people what they thought of MUT. You will get a simple answer or two. Either people would say "ma nafx" or "dawk ma ghandhomx kuluri. This is the perception wheher we all like it or not.
Are you a teacher?I have got close relatives who were/are teachers and if you ask them what were the worst times of their careers, they'll surely reply that when they were locked out by the socialist...er...labour government and vindictively transferred as they striked which uis a sacrosant right be it in a labour or Nationalist Government!!!
How can anybody have faith in a union or a confederation of unions that is politically biased. MUT has shown throughout the years that it has no political agenda. It has resisted both the Labour and Nationalist governments when ever there was the need to. It has always placed its members' and the public's interests first before any personal creed or agenda. Mr Bencini was active in the MUT throughout all these years.
I personally believe that it takes real leaders like him to propose the formation of a TUC.
Chickens are those who do not stand up against Gonzipn arrogance to protect their members and are simply yes men.
The published W&E tariffs clearly show those who have the general public and their members interests at heart and those who are little elves in Gonzipn's pocket.
Excuse me, but are you aware that CMTU met behind closed doors without inviting MUT to explain its position and then went on to suspend it. Who are the cowards? MUT is and has always been as they say in Maltese "minghajr kantunieri" and was never a servile follower.
Keep working for the interests the public and of your members in particular.
The published tariffs show who protect the interests of the public and their members and those who are little elves in Gonzipn's pocket.
I think that both the CMTU and UHM have never heard of the saying that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.