Updated - Education Minister denies having closed door for talks with MUT

The Malta Union of Teachers said today that it had ordered teachers out on strike because it was deceived by the government in 2007 when the collective agreement was negotiated.

Union President John Bencini said that at the same time as the teaching grades were given ‘peanuts’ by way of increases, the government was quietly holding talks with other sectors which resulted in more generous increases.

Indeed, then Education Minister Louis Galea had written to the union in February last year saying that he had been unaware of the talks being held with the health sector. He had also committed himself to hold talks with the MUT on the addendum to the agreement which the union requested. His successor, Dolores Cristina, had said she would respect that commitment. But nothing had happened.

Mr Bencini said the Education Ministry’s reaction to the strike announcement was ‘dry’.

It was true that several measures agreed in the 2007 reform agreement had been implemented. But those were only the provisions which increased responsibilities on teachers.

The measures which directly and favourably impacted the teachers had been shelved.

Mr Bencini also complained that the Colleges system was creating many difficulties in the education sector. There was lack of coordination between the colleges and school heads were losing their autonomy, with college principals very often appearing to be leading the schools directly.

He asked if any evaluation had been made of the system. Teachers were never involved in any such review, and if the review had been made, the MUT was asking for a copy of the report, Mr Bencini said.

Mr Bencini in is statement made no reference to the statement by the Church calling on the union to suspend its planned action in Church schools (see separate story).

EDUCATION MINISTRY'S REACTION

In a reaction to the MUT statement, the Ministry of Education denied that it had closed the door to further talks with the MUT on the proposals it made after the 2007 agreement.

The ministry said the minister, Dolores Cristina, was committed to first concluding current talks on supply teachers, supply kindergarten and supply learning support assistants, and then resuming talks on the new proposals.

The ministry said it would let the people judge for themselves the MUT declaration that it was resorting to industrial action because it was deceived by the government two years ago. At the time the union had accepted what it was now describing as peanuts.

The Ministry observed that the MUT had not said how much its proposals would cost, while the ministry had calculated that if accepted, they would cost €15 million per year.

The ministry said that as a result of the industrial action ordered by the union, it would be the students who would suffer.