UPDATED -Ministry denies being 'irresponsible' during MUT strike - union reacts

Tony Mizzi

Jan 19th 2009, 19:29

@victor vella
Mr.Vella, I'm not a spokeperson of MUT, and I believe that the MUT already has a competent PRO.

However, the point is that it is just silly this continuing mentioning of the past. Ok, that was wrong, extremely wrong. But, does this make it correct to ignore a collective agreement signed over a year ago? Ok, it is y far much less then what happenned in the 80s, but still wrong!

Apart, please check your records well .... in today's world, all teachers in Malta have the same salery structure. May be, the teach your mentioning hasn't got the required qualification.

Furthermore, teachers don't need palm readers since the students themselves can confirm the presence or non-presence of their teachers. Particularly so, primary students and kindergarten students since their teachers have no break, and have to remain with them the whole day !!!!

Tony Mizzi

Jan 19th 2009, 19:19

@A Bonanno
Parents were aware of this strike well in advance .... so they could have done arraignments at work. Apart, as a responsible parent, who knew that your 4 year old child would be unattended, what should you do? Leave him/her alone where she can more easily get hurt?

Furthermore, your suggesting a whole day strike ... would it this lead to more school hours lost by the children????

victor vella

Jan 19th 2009, 13:23

@A Bonanno,
Unfortunately some workers are so used to coming and going to the office or place of work as and when they deem fit or require that we who work in the private sector have to bear a culture of undisciplined workers. When will the Public sector introduce palm readers? Yes even for teachers and university professors , doctors and consultants , then we need to know how much money was deducted from thier wage packets.A teacher in a private school told me that not only is she paid less but also works more, then the public school teachers.
@Mr Mizzi
I didn't know you are an MUT spoke person, I asked a question if you are the spokperson can you please answer. Yes we all know those times were deplorable so much so that the general public stood by you and donated money to your cause.

A Bonanno

Jan 19th 2009, 09:12

@ Tony Mizzi

What shall parents who work do? It was already difficult to find work with a working time table suitable to match with the school hours! Many of us work with the private sector and cannot just report late to work without serious consequences. In the private sector, you cannot take leave when you want.

Does the MUT understand that parents today work?

Industrial actions should take into consideration today's reality. They could have still come in and protested in another way, and not putting our children at risk.

As a parent I feel that these industrial actions were not fair on children. It was better if they took a whole day off rather than coming late.

Tony Mizzi

Jan 19th 2009, 06:58

@Victor Vella
The general public can judge on its own how morally and legally correct is to advise parents to send 4 year old children to school, knowing that they would not be supervised.

Regarding the 80s, everybody who wants to know, knows exactly what happen. What happen was really deplorable ....and the government of the day paid the price for it ........ However, today is 2009, not 1983- 1986 ...... Let's speak of the present

victor vella

Jan 18th 2009, 15:17

@ Tony Mizzi.
Who runs the school the MUT or the Ministry? when you answer that you would have answered yourself.But then I do not expect that the MUT comes out screaming that the ministry is a strike breaker because the ministry is legally and moraly bound to care for the children whether they are 4 year old or 12 year old.Another thing if I may, can the MUT tell us how many of the kindergarten assistants are actually people who in the 80's were strike breakers themselves and in recognition of their loyal service to the Socialist state they were given jobs as Kindergarten assistants.I can name some if Mr Bencini doesnt know them.

Tony Mizzi

Jan 18th 2009, 10:16

@Adrian Borg
Could you please illuminate us what education a student can receive if the individual who has to teach him/her and take care of him/her isn't presented at school???

Like in any other profession, the majority of the other workers, irrespective of whether they agreed or not with the stand of the union, would still back their colleagues legitmate right to strike.

@J Busuttil
We all know about the government genorisity to doctors in the pre-election campaign, which went well over the normal scale increments.

When all professionals are treated equally .... we can start talking about the summer recession .... as well as about the 26 or so hours of leave during the normal school year, implying that all teachers problems, and need to take leave will come unique in the summer !!!

Tony Mizzi

Jan 18th 2009, 09:53

I want to ask just one question ..... may be those parents who don't want their life disrupted by a legitimate strike might answer.

A Kindergarten assistant is on strike, a young 4 years old child goes to school, and gets injured.

Who is responsible?????? Under whose care the child should have been in those 2 hours??? The answer is simple ..... no one is responsible!!!!!

Know tell me, whether the Ministry would have been more mature if instead of stating that it was a normal school day, would have advise the parents that during those 2 hours their might be the possibility that their children would be unsupervised.

victor vella

Jan 18th 2009, 02:27

@ F Gauci,
it is not a case of disappointing me or others, every body is entitled to his opinion and I am one who fought tooth and nail for free speech.but I feel that one should not disrupt other peoples life and then blame others for it,The MUT is blaming the ministry for breaking the strike.Why didn't the MUT strike for a full day or a week? if it wanted it's message to get to the people. simply because they know that non of it's members would stay off work for a week without pay. so order a two hour strike , people will keep thier kids at home and loose a days work and the teachers would then be able to go home early and the strike would be a success. Yes every body has a right to strike but if you do something do it right or none at all.

FGauci

Jan 17th 2009, 21:15

@Victor Vella

sorry to disappoint you, but, like all other workers, teachers have a right to strike and when they do strike, it's only obvious that children will have no one to teach / look after them and there will be some disruptions, so next time there's a teacher strike, make your own arrangements and just bear the whole thing!

lgalea

Jan 17th 2009, 20:54

Jonathan Micallef
Who told you that the strike was to be converted into the rest of the day as a paid holiday for the strikers?
Was it a normal school day as stated by the Ministry?
NO it wasn't because there was going to be a 2-hour strike.
The Ministry for Education acted irresponsibly when it informed the parents that it was going to be a normal school day when it knew because it was told beforehand that there was going to be a 2-hour strike and showed that it wanted to undermine the right to strike as well as put pressure on the strikers and undermine their action. Simply arrogance and irresponsibility.

VICTOR VELLA

Jan 17th 2009, 20:38

@ Franco Farrugia, I am responsable for my offsprings as most of the Maltese parents, but for a union to expect the government or any other institution not to care for children who are in their care is irresponsible.You cannot expect me to suffer a day's work simply because the teachers are on strike for 2 hours. I have never resorted to industrial action as I have always believed that unions are there mainly for the people who are always in trouble with their employers.In this case OK the union says it cannot reach agreement does the strike change anything?tell me.@ Igalea, I support workers who are downtrodden by employers 100 % and I do not care who is in government , but to tell me that I am expected to have my life disrupted and to accept it simply because you are fighting for better wages or conditions , I will tell you to go and tell it to the marines.

a.mangion

Jan 17th 2009, 20:13

@ Jonathan Micallef
You are partially right in your argument in so far as a strike not being a holiday is concerned. But it was not right for the ministry to declare that it was a 'normal' school day. The least it could have done was to tell the parents to take their children two hours late to school.
@ David Pisani
your suggestion that there should have been teachers to take care of the children during the two hours stoppege is tantamount to strike breaking.

J Busuttil

Jan 17th 2009, 19:02

What is the ' betrayal" mentioned by MUT versus the medical and other services employees?
Teachers have a good salary and career structure. This year like other Govt they got a good rise in their pay packet.They also have the summer vacations while doctors,nurses, paramedics and carers are toiling in health institutions caring for our patients. So hands of the health care profesionals. And hows that for solidarity Mr Bencini. And you say you want union unity. HA HA.

Mark Piscopo

Jan 17th 2009, 18:53

The ministry was irresponsible during the strike because a circular was issued telling hundreds of parents that Friday was a normal school day. This is a very serious issue because children with special needs did not have an LSA. The conditions of work of an LSA is ridiculous compared to other European countries.The majority of the workers are "SUPPLY" although they attended courses provided by the Education Department and are willing to attend the other two courses. The Ministry has not given us a date when the other courses will commence.The Learning Support Assistants are doing a mission not just a job and honestly they do not deserve to be treated as numbers by the Education Department.Hope that the ministry realizes how much dedication and care that the LSA are doing with the children and there is an agreement with MUT.

Ruben Baldacchino

Jan 17th 2009, 18:17

Ms. E. Vella

The Education Department was advised that there was going to strike so children could be kept with their parents for those two hours. Everyone knew that there was going to be a 2 hour strike thus MUT did not leave any children without care. Misinterpreting information is really bad!

To all others,

Everyone has a right to be represented by a Trade Union and everyone has a right to strike or not to strike. Inventing excuses that children would be left alone, is nonsense. So what happens when doctors strike? operations are cancelled and patients suffer! Yet everyone has his rights and we should all start respecting each other rather then attacking the majority of the Maltese teaching staff which is represented by MUT.

David Pisani

Jan 17th 2009, 18:14

Every strike causes strain on those who are using the service. Or else what strike would be.

In this case MUT was very cautious in informing all stakeholders before about the strike, but government have to take precautions so that in case of emergency there are teachers who take care of those children who parents can't leave them with others or relatives on that day.

But i agree about irresponsibility if those who sent letters where using this to persuade parents and make them belief that its a normal day as uaual at school.

That not how it should be. Please so play fair in Industrial Conflicts.

Jonathan Micallef

Jan 17th 2009, 18:11

@ G Camilleri . Without entering at all into the merits or otherwise of the justification for the action itself, the MUT has every right to call a strike but absolutely no right to call a school holiday. The Ministry was perfectly correct in clarifying that the day on which the strike was called was a normal school day. If we apply the same measure whenever there is for example a public transport strike, could we then declare it a public, or maybe with a stretch a National, holiday??? The two hour strike should not be allowed to be converted into the rest of the day as a paid holiday for the strikers.

lgalea

Jan 17th 2009, 18:11

victor vella
So do you expect that workers should not take action to safeguard their interests because single mothers and others have to go to work? Whenever someone has to resort to industrial action others will be be affected, including those taking the industrial action themselves. It seems that nowadays some people who at other times supported strikes are now against strikes because there is now their government in power.

P.Schembri

Jan 17th 2009, 18:07

Looks like we're heading to the Thatcher Era in the UK. The right to strike is being undermined. The one and only weapon the workers have. The Government's responsibility is being shifted onto the unions, so that at the end they get the blame, and the Government will remain unblemished. Not a good time for the workers if this happens.

a.mangion

Jan 17th 2009, 18:03

@ Adrian Borg
So in your opinion it is a normal school day when the teachers are on strike and absent from school so long as the pupils are present!
@ victor Vella
Every strike has a ripple effect and affects various sectors of society. In fact that is the reason why workers strike . Can you imagine for example bus drivers striking at night? if a strike doesn't disrupt the normal business of life (within democratic limitations and without endangering lives)it is considered a failure.

Joe Vella

Jan 17th 2009, 17:45

@ Mario Bonnici

Cannot understand your hard tone towards E. Vella. Contrary to your post, E. Vella did exercise her right to strike as well. What E. Vella said that before he/she went on strike he/she took certain precautions.

Before being to quick to write your post and criticise others,why don't you take a second and read carefully what they had written.

I think it is only proper to apologise with E. Vella

Franco Farrugia

Jan 17th 2009, 17:35

@ victor vella - So, you expect many sectors of society not to strike, just because your son or daughter has no one to be with? Stay with him at home, or take him to a relative. You are responsible for your offspring, not the teachers.

Peter Carabott

Jan 17th 2009, 17:17

MUT should issue directives to all teachers not to give the half yearly exam papers (as was done by university lecturers) to get what is due to us.

Mario Bonnici

Jan 17th 2009, 17:10

Why all this fuss about whenever there's a strike? Every worker has a right to strike.
So do you expect the unions to avoid any kind of action, even when they know that the authorities are being stobborn.

@ E.Vella
You had every right not to strike yesterday. But leave the other LSA, Kindergarten Assistants in peace if they felt that they had to strike. That's how democracy works.

G Camilleri

Jan 17th 2009, 17:08

Once again this Union has been proved right. It is now crystal clear tjhat the MUT was perfecly correct to state that the Ministry of Education was totally "irresponsible" Thank God that the majority of parents cooperated with the MUT and refrained from taking their children to school. This irresponsible action taken by the Ministry could have caused complete chaos and would have put Heads of Schools and the school management teams in an extremely dangerous situation. shame on whoever advised the Ministry to issue such a statement on the eve of this two hour strike. PROSIT MUT

Adrian Borg

Jan 17th 2009, 16:50

Why is the MUT angry that it was a normal school day?

I believe the Kindergarten Assistants, Support Kindergarten Assistants and Learning Support Assistants were on strike, and not the students. Am I right?

So why is MUT angry that the Ministry of Education clarified Friday as a normal school day?

It just shows that MUT is, in my opinion, angered that children cared for by those on strike could still receive education one way or another. A real SHAME!

victor vella

Jan 17th 2009, 14:36

What about the parents who work especially single mothers or mothers of children who's husbands are away from the island due to their employment and the mother has to work, did you mean to disrupt their life too? was it the unions aim to have children exposed to accidents? E.Vella (not a relative ) is correct in his/her argument, what would have happened if a child had an accident or needed care? would that be strike breaking.Mr Bencini when parents were used as strike breakers I was behind you and your union 100% but please do not use our children in your quests.

E.Vella

Jan 17th 2009, 12:10

I as LSA striked yesterday but I will not let the children suffer for a fight with the Ministry of Education...This goes against my Christian and Moral Values...and before I stiked I saw that the children under my care would not suffer because of this...what do you think...children have no fault and I would not let them suffer as happened with the University Students...maybe during the strike they did not get 100% care but the minimum care cannot be denied to them.

One is Striking another thing is leave children with special needs without any care