Juan Ameen
Lecturers approve collective agreement
University of Malta and Junior College academic staff yesterday approved a draft collective agreement, ending their long-drawn dispute with the government. The agreement was approved by a large margin following a three-hour extraordinary meeting, with 191 of the 225 members present voting in favour, 30 against and four invalidating their vote. The draft was presented to members by the University of Malta Academic Staff Association (Umasa).
The deal comes after three days of intense discussions between Umasa, the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) and the university in the presence of the director of the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations, Noel Vella, who acted as a mediator.
Details of the agreement could not be obtained yesterday but it broadly tackles working hours, intellectual property rights for research carried out at the university and improved wages, which was the main bone of contention in the dispute.
Umasa president Victor Buttigieg said the union was very satisfied with the agreement.
"It is a very wide ranging agreement and the members realised that it was very positive," he said.
The draft agreement will now be presented to the university council for its approval and then signed. The conditions in the agreement are retroactive to January 1.
MUT president John Bencini too expressed the union's satisfaction at the approval of the draft agreement.
"We expected the approval of the agreement which, among other things, will bring about a substantial increase in the lecturers' pay," he said.
The draft agreement is a clear reflection of the government's appreciation of the important work carried out by lecturers and academic staff, said Mr Bencini.
"The draft agreement will bring about a great change for the university as it will allow it to fulfil its role in the today's times," he said.
The impasse over the lecturers' wages between Umasa and the government dates back to last summer. The union had recently directed academic staff not to issue exam results but talks had restarted when the order was lifted, following a protest rally by students. Umasa also asked lecturers last December to boycott committees, sub-committees and senate meetings, to stop work on the introduction of new courses, not to hold exams in January and not to publish assignment results until further notice.
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J.Borg
Jan 17th 2009, 10:59
Well said Profs Pirotta. To add to your comments on the very positive contributions made by Malta's academics in various spheres of life, it suffices to mention that inspite of the many criticsm stated over the last few weeks, that lecturers are always late, notes are not updated etc, the reality is otherwise. The academic foundation they give to our students enables Maltese to obtain distinctions and very very good grades when they further their studies abroad. Clearly, although performance abroad depends on the students themselves, it must also mean that the foundation given by the lecturers at the University of Malta has not only been good, but rather excellent. I myself am a graduate of our University and I did extremely well when I studied abroad. Thank you Maltese lecturers and Professors.
David Pulis
Jan 17th 2009, 10:27
As a visiting-lecturer and 'recent graduate' I do have a good idea of what happens at University and I cannot but agree with Prof. Pirotta. I would like to remind that the backbone of Malta's economy does not lie withing our: Natural resources, connectivity to other European countries or any other implicit advantage. On the other hand Malta has implicit disadvantages being a small island state, whose deficiencies and vulnerabilities are counteracted by one major constituent, namely: Malta's knowledge based workers. This knowledge base is achieved through higher education with sufficient funding and support.
lgalea
Jan 16th 2009, 19:01
Well said Profs Pirotta.
To all those complaining about the lecturers salaries.
If you think that lecturing at University, why don't you try to become lecturers?
If you feel that your wage/salary should also rise to keep in tune with what the lecturers got, then ask the Unions to fight your employer to give you a corresponding rise, not say that the lecturers salaries should not have been so increased.
N Galea
Jan 16th 2009, 17:39
Well said Prof. Pirotta!
Prof. Godfrey Pirotta
Jan 16th 2009, 17:06
To C Camilleri and Bernice Mallia
Will these people who appear to be well-versed in what goes on university name the professors who do nothing but their consultancy work and who have made university the mecca of idleness, sloth and stupidity? Or the professors who are not committed?
Or will these people, who apparently have never been to university, stop defaming those who have been there and those who have dedicated their lives to the institution. For their comments can only mean that graduates of the university of Malta have obtained degrees of little value and that academics have contributed little or nothing to society. I challenge these two people me how hard they had to work to get to where they are today and whether they had to go through nine years of study at three leading British universities and thirty years of university employment to get to the top of their career as I had to do. Mind you, I enjoyed every minute of my life as a student and did not moan or groan everytime I was asked to read for my essays as most students do in Malta.
loranne buttigieg
Jan 16th 2009, 16:39
The collective agreement is very unfair. Apparently the wages of the professors was doubled, while the wages of lecturers and assistant lecturers were given a minimal increase. To add insult to injury a professor has 4hrs of lecture time allocated every week. Nice. I would like to be a professor - just 4hrs of work and loads of money. ".... a professor, should not teach, his job is to carry out research..."!!! That's what was stated.
c.camilleri
Jan 16th 2009, 15:45
Details of the agreement should be made known to the public who is s footing the bill. This applies to all agreements where Government is concerned. We hope that unlike past agreements between unions and the Govt this agreement is not a one way traffic and binds lecturers to more commitments to their work at the University and with their students.
t
Bernice Mallia
Jan 16th 2009, 14:44
It seems like the place to work at the moment is the University of Malta.
In fact, incentives are so wrong that for doing nothing at all, but their consultancy work, university professors have it good by cashing in on their university 'work' (or the lack thereof) while carrying on with their private work.
Now, thanks to government, I am having to pay more of my tax monies to sustain what has become the mecca of idleness, sloth and stupidity, and this at the start of a recession and in the midst of a chorus of industrialists calling for increased efficiency.
Let us ask Mr. Fenech then: is this fair?
Maria Camilleri
Jan 16th 2009, 12:55
It is with great relieve to hear that finally an agrrement has been reached and approved by all sides. We must remember that both sides ,lecturers and students arer important for society. Our higher institutions are the most important brain centres and are the driving engines for academic, social and economic changes.
Alex Wright
Jan 16th 2009, 12:33
May this travailed agreement be a fresh new start to life at University. Hoping all academic staff members will take their posts more seriously and truly involve themselves in academic research and studies. In this day and age, gone should be the days when lecturers limit themselves to reproduce material that is irrelevant and out-dated. (Al buon intenditore...)
James Saliba
Jan 16th 2009, 12:18
Some time ago any news in relation to the agreement of the academic members of staff at the University would have attracted much attention and comments, both pro and against. This is really strange, looking at the lack of interest, now that an agreement has been finalised. Can't seem to put my finger on the reason behind this lack of interest. I personally agree that such an agreement was needed for the benefit of both academics and students. And the fact that both unions and government have agreed then most probably the found solutions will benefit the whole university. That is what one hopes at least.
Dr Paul Sant-Cassia
Jan 16th 2009, 11:25
Well done to all the parties involved in coming to an acceptable resolution. I am in no doubt that the lecturers never wanted to penalise any students and that they are much happier doing what they like doing, which is lecturing and engaging with the students. The university is the country's most important resource because it shapes the social, cultural, and educational capital of the society's future. Let it be nurtured with good will, engagement, and committment.