Claudia Calleja
Details of lecturers' deal kept under wraps
The agreement will serve as a solid base to strengthen the University - Umasa president.
The much-debated collective agreement for University and junior college lecturers was signed yesterday, although details on the contended salaries were not revealed.
The agreement's signatories described it as a "reform" that sets the ball rolling for the necessary changes in the roles and responsibilities of academic staff and strengthens the future of the University of Malta.
However, the public will remain in the dark as to the details of the reform because the University preferred not to reveal details "at this stage", a spokesman said when asked for a copy of the agreement.
The agreement, backdated to January 1 and valid until December 2013, 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.
It extends the working day by three hours to 8 p.m. in order to accommodate working people who wish to pursue their studies, introduces a research stream to promote research among staff and places research output as a criteria for promotions.
University council president David Attard said this was a "historic occasion" because, apart from the financial aspect, the agreement would improve and incentivise research.
The president of the Malta Union of Teachers, John Bencini and the president of the University of Malta Academic Staff Association, Victor Buttigieg agreed the reform was not limited to salaries and working conditions.
"Three quarters of the discussions were focused on what the University needs to do better," Mr Bencini said, adding this was the place that generated good quality human resources, a vital asset to the country.
Dr Buttigieg said the agreement would serve as a road map to move forward: "I'm not saying it's perfect but it will serve as a solid basis to strengthen the University".
Both Dr Buttigieg and Mr Bencini thanked the Rector for his involvement in the negotiations.
Rector Juanito Camilleri said that since he took over nearly three years ago, it was clear that if the University were to move ahead, the new collective agreement could not be designed on the expired one.
This collective agreement was a "fundamental reform", one of the three things needed to prepare for the future allowing the University to compete with the international market. The other two were changes to the Education Act and the generation of revenue.
Asked why he had remained silent throughout the negotiations, Prof. Camilleri said it was due to the sensitive nature of the issue, especially because he was acting as a "mediator". He denied that his salary was tackled in the agreement and said his pay was set by the University council.
The agreement comes after months of heated negotiations and disputes between the lecturers' unions, the University and the government, which had been deadlocked over the financial package of the new collective agreement that would replace the one that expired in December 2003.
After a one-day strike on October 30 failed to budge the government, practically all the 178 lecturers rejected the first financial package offered.
On December 5, unions instructed their members to work to rule and, a few weeks later, they stepped up their action and ordered academic staff to withhold all end-of-semester examination papers and any results related to continuous assessment.
This sparked off a students' rally. The next day, the unions and the government met and, after three days of intense discussions, in the presence of the director of the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations, an agreement was struck.
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Dr. Saviour Tortell Pisani
Jan 27th 2009, 21:35
@Joseph V. Grech
I agree with you perfectly and I would love to see it published! There's nothing to hide. The conditions are fair and will help cut on the abuse. No space left for fooling around. The text of the agreement is a job well done - A real credit to the Unions who wrote it. However, the figures (which have been published) leave much to be desired.
I am one of those who go the extra mile to do much more than what is required. I am strongly in favour of a strict quality assurance programme... Anyone caught abusing should be named and shamed... But that is not to say that these are a majority or that genuine Intelligentsia is absent from our University.
The problem is that the public will dispise the Academic, the Doctor, the Engineer, the Lawyer, the Pilot, the Scientist = ANY intellectual not because he abbuses the system but because he is what he is. Perhaps its because he is what they are not. This is irrational because, in the end, no one stops them reaching the similar "heights" or better.
Joseph V. Grech
Jan 27th 2009, 03:41
@ Dr. Saviour Tortell Pisani
The reason you give for not publishing the agreement - ''to avoid unconstructive criticism from the Maltese general public '' is ridiculous, unobjective and undemocratic. There is an element of truth in your contention that the Maltese public ''was never supportive of intelligentsia'' - but this is probably because the public is not quite satisfied with the workings of our local ''intelligentsia''. The ''deep rooted unhealthy envy'' that results stems from the injustice such a ''hidden agreement'' stirs in the heart and mind of other hard-working people including professionals who earn insuficient salaries. Possessing a PhD does not necessarily make a lecturer effective so lecturers' performance should be regularly monitored so that lethargy and inefficiency may be stamped out. That is what the public demands should be done for it is scandalised by the unprofessional behaviour of certain University lecturers towards students...and the artificial, amateurish lectures that are sometimes delivered. And as for the claim to ''intelligentsia'' that a number of rogue lecturers possess this is attributable to family and social connections rather than to effectiveness and professionalism on the job. It is unpalatable but nevertheless real facts like these which irk the public.
Dr. Saviour Tortell Pisani
Jan 23rd 2009, 14:15
@Joseph V. Grech
I think the reason for not publishing the agreement so soon, was to avoid unconstructive criticism from the Maltese general public - Which was never supportive of Intelligentsia. There is a deep rooted unhealthy envy involved. Irrational but true!
@N Borg
Oh well it was her choice to send me first. :-)...
With two young kids and pregnant with the third it wasn't going to be easy for her. Now they're less dependent on her, so she can proceed with her career goals. Having kids at age 40 after building our careers was not an option for either of us.
BUT if after she's back from her Ph.D. conditions don't change significantly in Malta. We have already planned to uproot the family and go to the US where the grass is greener and sun shines brighter!
Been there! I know it firsthand!
The standard of living is miles better, prospects are better, education is sounder, life is much cheaper and salaries are nearly quadruple. And all in time to give my children a Stanford University Education.
N Borg
Jan 23rd 2009, 13:15
@ dr stp
ladies first......
.......gentlemen before :-)
Dr. Saviour Tortell Pisani
Jan 23rd 2009, 12:40
First: I have nothing against it being published.
@M.Vella
I don't think others should follow our example. You should instead STOP BEING UNDERPAID. And would you settle for a smallish (relative) increase after a 6-year freeze? I also believe that salaries should be pegged with merit. And Merit = Productivity x Qualification x Effort * (Scarecity of such Professionals)
@D.Borg
Getting my Ph.D. involved *huge* sacrifices one of which was living in the USA away from my wife kids for 4 years. My wife couldn't leave the island. She had to work and care for the kids. It was also prohibitively expensive to take them with me. Soon it will be her turn to get a PhD - And she has my support.
@N Borg
Research at UoM Yielded €50,000,000 of revenue. However there are too few lecturers (
M. Vella
Jan 23rd 2009, 11:05
@ Dr. Saviour Tortell Pisani
For your info most professions in Malta are UNDERPAID in comparison with the rest of Europe. So should we follow your example? Or was this the reason that things were kept under wraps so others won't follow?
Dear TP also for your info a PHD doesn't automatically entitle you to be special from the rest of the other people living in this country. You get a rise (relative to your pay), we too get a rise relative to our pay! I don't want to get into sociological theories, but please you need to step down from your pedestal to notice that the other professions are just as important as yours are (with or without PHD).
RE: tutorials it is your reality that you provide the necessary tutorials but it is a sweeping statement to denote that ALL lecturers follow your example.
And for God's sake you've been moaning for over 6 years, let others moan to at least know where one fifth of their pay is going!
D. Borg
Jan 23rd 2009, 10:50
Dr STP
According to your theory, I don't think studying for a PhD is good for married persons. They may end up with a PhD but in the process they lose their wife and children! Nice!!
N Borg
Jan 23rd 2009, 10:15
@ Dr MA Sammut
I challenge you. How many university lecturers hold a PhD or plan to get one within the next 8 years? I do not want to come up with a figure myself, but I would be surprised if you tell me it is more than half.
@Dr STP
Is this research yielding any revenue? The BIG question with a small answer. A quick look at the UOM accounts over the past 5 years would tell you the answer. Research should be sustainable and should generate its own funding. And BTW, if one is stupid enough to ignore his wife and the kiddies for four years, it transpires that one does not need to be very clever to get a PhD. maybe i should try my luck, you will say.
N Borg
Jan 23rd 2009, 10:05
It is a shame that public funds are being utilised in such an agreement and the public is blinded as to the details. I have friends working in universities abroad and their pay, actually their post as well, is reviewed annually according to their very own output. and it is serious output in the sense that this is measured in how much revenue their research yielded to the university in question. and actually these figures are published in an annual report , even though no public funds are utilised. and if a professor fails to produce, he's back on probation for a year and if the next year he doesn't make up, he or she's OUT. that way these serious universities maintain their own funding and do not depend just on public funds. and also maintain good standards. But then again, silly silly me, I shouldn't compare it to the UniversityOfMalta as these are SERIOUS universities. How many papers are published from UniversityOfMalta academic staff? Will they start publishing now? Sure, sure, now they have to stay till 8pm at university, Ho, ho, ho, merry christmas (late but a good christmas present)!!!!
Joseph V. Grech
Jan 22nd 2009, 23:13
Government seems to have given in to the pay rise request of the University lecturers. That is what it always does - give in. Well and good. But surely taxpayers have every right to know what the agreement involves, especially the new pay rises! John Bencini and the MUT should be ashamed - agreeing that this agreement should be hidden from public scrutiny for so long. These things only happen in Malta. Sad but that's the truth! And P.M. Gonzi and the P.N. should not let these things happen. The University intelligentsia should be the first to protest - why don't they do that? The answer is obvious - it suits them to keep the new pay rises under wraps! Shame!
Dr. Saviour Tortell Pisani
Jan 22nd 2009, 18:06
@ Victor Caruana
Please verify the facts before you speak out such sweeping statements.
There is more research and development going on at the University than the rest of the country put together many times over. So please don't slander what you don't know about.
However, there is still much need for funding in order to allow the research to progress to world class levels in every area. The government and private entities should pitch in more to contribute in this regard. It's for the common good after all.
Secondly, we hold plenty of tutorials all year round. Some students choose to not attend or fail to prepare adequatly for these tutorials. So it's their loss.
I deliver at least 6 tutorial sessions for each subject I Lecture. Right up to the exams. Not to mention the one to one tutoring that goes on all the time whenever students have difficulties.
The tutorials even cover background material that might have been missing in the student's prior formation. They are meant to give everyone a sporting chance to succeed.
victor caruana
Jan 22nd 2009, 16:49
I doubt whether the institution at tal-Qroqq falls under the definition of a university when it lacks:
1. tutorials, and
2. research and development
One can refer to it as a glorified sixth form.
Dr. Saviour Tortell Pisani
Jan 22nd 2009, 16:43
@Matthew Agius
Pleae note that ALL those lecturers who still don't have a PhD are now OBLIGED to get one soon or they will be kicked out or downgraded to Junior College Level.
Moreover, new employment contracts being issued are two pages long. The first page is entirely dedicated to explain (by every means possible & for the avoidance of doubt) that you WILL be fired (with no right to appeal) if you do not get a PhD within 8 years max!
The University does not even bother to bind itself to support your studies in such contracts!
So please! It is not as Rosy as you think!
(And 8 years is not a long time... it is there to cater for lengthy part time PhD programmes)
Dr. Saviour Tortell Pisani
Jan 22nd 2009, 15:14
Let it be known that this "Phenomenal" Salary Package that everybody talks about is really nothing spectacular. We will still be underpaid by many standards - Whichever package we choose!
But it's one step in the right direction and will help motivate more. The text in the agreement wil ensure that everyone pulls his socks or begone. I can assure you there's no space left for doodling.
Yet, the salary package is a far cry from the original (and published) requests of the union and does not do any justice to the fact that we have been waiting with frozen salaries for six years - unlike the rest of you!
Anyway, if anyone feels he deserves equivalent treatment.
It's very easy... Just ignore your wife and children for 4 years and get yourself a respectful Ph.D! and then you may join the club.
Our doors are always open to accept anyone qualified and we are always in great need of new staff. So please stop moaning!
But beware!, it will be HARD WORK! Unlike what you might think.
Matthew Agius
Jan 22nd 2009, 14:12
I truly hope that an educational reform is performed with the needs of our country in mind. I also hope that the right measures are taken in consideration so as to the benefit of education in our country for it is our major resource on this island.
I also hope that this deal does shed the light on better performance from all of the lecturers body and not on a selected few who give it all their best.
I also cannot understand why the details are kept under wraps.....hmmm....
@mark anthony sammut
for your info. not all lecturers possess a phd
Charles Cardona
Jan 22nd 2009, 13:21
What a cheek to give the lecturers an increase in their salary and US the tax payers do not know what we are paying.Is this what the prime minister means when he speaks of a transparent government?
Does Mark anthony Zammit think that the only people who deserve an pay increase are the ones with a university decree? I think he is wrong and if that is what he thinks i think he would fail in his university exams and does not merit a degree.
Mark Anthony Sammut
Jan 22nd 2009, 12:36
You all want the same salary increase? Go and do a PhD!
d. borg
Jan 22nd 2009, 11:40
Can the details be published please so we can compare to the miserly increases the non academic staff at the University got in the last collective agreement signed by UHM?
R.Farrugia
Jan 22nd 2009, 11:04
Why is it that the new salary structure was kept a secret? Is it because the Govt. is afraid that if it will be known, it will have serious repercussions with other teaching grades represented by the MUT? Let's hope now that lecturers will pull up their sleeves and treat students as grown-up and not as idiotic creatures. Let's hope too that these lecturers will respect students by being punctual and regular for the assigned lectures
C. Aquilina
Jan 22nd 2009, 10:12
Now that the hurly burly's done and the battle's lost and won, will MUT do away with the secrecy and publish the full contract, including the contentious salary scales, on its website in the same manner it did with the relatively recent MCAST agreement?
lgalea
Jan 22nd 2009, 09:58
Good job for the lecturers and good luck to them for the increases they got and which they merit.
However, we as taxpayers have a right to know the details so that everyone else can make his claims for wage and salaries increases.
And don't forget the pensioners who do not have unions to present their claims.
Mark Fleri
Jan 22nd 2009, 09:50
As a taxpayer if I am part funding the University I do not wish to be kept in the dark as to the details of the reform simply becuase the University preferred not to reveal details. Who are they to make that decision? Its my view that the only thing they want to keep in the 'dark' is the nice big bumper pay packet they will be getting each month.