Wednesday, 14th January 2009 - 15:10CET

MUT strike to go ahead despite talks

A five-hour meeting was held this morning between the Malta Union of Teachers and the Education Ministry on the situation of “supply categories”, kindergarten assistants and learning support assistants. An MUT spokesman said that although the meeting was positive, a two-hour strike planned for Friday will go ahead.

MUT president John Bencini said that the ministry’s officials listened to the union's concerns and admitted that the issues raised were justified. Further meetings are to be held.

The supply categories include supply teachers, supply kindergarten assistants and supply learning support assistants.

The MUT says a previous agreement on these categories has not been fully implemented.

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Comments

John F Borg (on 16/1/09)

Without going into the merits of whether the strike should have been held or not, I disagree that supply employees are given a permanent job.

Most of supply teachers a recruited with A-level standard of education, withought the nercessary degree and requirements for the post of full time teachers. For this system to work the requirements for the post of supply teachers should be raised to par with those required of regular teachers.

It is not fair that persons without the necessary qualifications are given teaching posts, when a degree is a pre-requisite for a regular teacher. A degree which is obtained following a 4 year course at university. To add insult to injury, a graduate teacher has to undergo these 4 years without any significant income, loosing thousands of euro in the process. This is not the case for a supply teacher who is absorbed into the system after some years teaching.

This would definitely discourage young students from reading a degree in education, and lowering standards in the process.

When there is a lack of doctors or nursing staff the government does not call people in possesion of A-levels. This should neither be the case in teaching.

Jos Vella (on 14/1/09)

I think that if the MUT had asked the Department of Education for a 2 hour break, the DOE would have accepted and granted the 2 hours break. Why go on strike when there are talks going on? I do not understand.

David Pisani (on 14/1/09)

Thanks MUT for supporting workers and their famthats. Unions are there to improve working conditions.

Am feel sad to know that franchise industry workers are not unionised, which is a big sector in Malta. Employers must change their view with regards to unions.