Updated: MUT suspends work to rule directive

D Agius

May 1st 2009, 09:14

Well done Mr. Bencini. You are setting a very good example of how REAL trade unions should work if they really have their workers' interests at heart! Keep up the good work MUT. I am proud of being a member within this union that safeguards my rights and all the teaching profession.

G Camilleri

Apr 30th 2009, 21:50

The MUT's strike today was a huge success and obeyed by one and all. Teachers have listened and fully followed their Union's directive. I dont think there is such a success story as this. Whenever MUT orders industrial actions (very few and seldom I must say), the percentage of those who follow its directive is always exceptional. This obviously means that this Union is highly respected and a credible one. All teaching grades today, Heads, the senior management teams, heads of Department, Teachers, LSA's and KGA's have sent a very clear message to the authorities. The ball is now in the Government's feet.

J Aquilina

Apr 30th 2009, 21:46

Today's strike was a success because all teachers are affected with what the Education Department is doing. The teachers are not the people to make dreams come true. What the higher hierarchy imagines the teachers have to deliver. In the Education Division there is a unit missing the INTELLIGENCE UNIT.

Hope from now onwards the MUT will start serious discussions so that the TEACHER will make substantial gains (even in terms of allowances) cause they are the real stakeholders of the whole institution. Hope now that during these talks, the teachers will be consulted all the way through so that everyone will get what is rightfully his/hers.

G.Schembri

Apr 30th 2009, 20:56

@ Alfred Farrugia Do you really believe that a teacher prepares a scheme of work and continues using it year after year. Maybe that's what they used to do in the olden days, nowadays with mixed ability classes a good teacher prepares graded work for different abilities. What about LSAs they have an IEP and they have to prepare resources for the child under their care. Both teachers and LSA have to keep a daily record of their work, such records are to be available for checking by heads of schools or EOs.

Everybody is complaining about the lost day , Nobody said anything when they themselves did not send their children to school the day after the general elections. Schools were also empty of students on that day although up to my knowledge the majority of teachers reported for work no matter what political party they support..

James Brincat

Apr 30th 2009, 20:17

People who talk sarcastically about teachers have a great chance now to join the club and I look forward to see them in the teaching profession soon so that they will benefit more from these wonderful conditions. If they don't do so, it means that they are in a position much better than teachers!!!

Silvan Cutajar

Apr 30th 2009, 20:07

I cant understand why nobody in blogs and in the media complains that our patients are suffering because UHM have actions in health sector. But we are all complaining about any MUT actions or GWU actions. Even when GWu had actions in health sector...there patients suffered. But if UHM blows the whistle....thats ok. I can not stand this mentality of people. Either you agree or you dont with industrial action. But not altering positions according to who calls them!

cfalzon

Apr 30th 2009, 19:27

Well done Mr Bencini for giving our students a four day weekend, they really enjoyed this extra and unexpected day off. For the teachers, I wonder if Mr Bencini is keeping count of all the sick days that were called in on Wednesday morning as I am sure the others didn't enjoy their extra day off.

Alfred Farrugia

Apr 30th 2009, 18:35

How much did this industrial action cost to the teachers themselves? What is the average amount of a teacher’s salary for a day? Is the MUT going to pay back the teachers who participated in the industrial action from its own funds? If the MUT calls a strike for a couple of days more, will the union not be providing the authorities with enough savings to make up for some of the new claims?

Are teachers not aware that every time their union calls for industrial action, it focuses the public’s attention on their profession – including its costs and benefits? I have every respect for the teachers’ work. But their union should not over emphasize the question of preparations. This takes a lot of time for the first year or two, or when the teacher takes a different class level in the secondary schools. After that most of the work is done and would only need the appropriate updating.

Is it possible that the current conditions of work of teachers are the result of the short-sighted policies and actions taken by the MUT in the past, particularly in secondary schools?

V. Formosa

Apr 30th 2009, 18:16

Why on earth wasn't this agreement reached yesterday and perhaps avoided today's strike that has distrupted the life and education of so many thousands of students. But who cares about the students!!!!!!!

J Busuttil

Apr 30th 2009, 17:33

The teachers striked and talks are to continue. Under LABOUR the teachers took partial action and they were LOCKED OUT. That is the DIFFERENCE.

A. Pulis

Apr 30th 2009, 17:31

@ S.Sammut
nahseb li ghandek ragun! Ghalkemm issa rridu naraw kif ser jizvolgu l-affarijiet! Nittamaw li nibqghu maqghudin ghax b'hekk biss nistghu nimxu 'l quddiem.

Michael Seychell

Apr 30th 2009, 17:27

Thanks God for the agreement reached

One hopes that in the coming days both sides will meet with an open mind.

Minister Cristina herself an ex teacher knows how stressful teaching 20-25 children could be, apart from preparation for next day and homework correcting. The Minister is duty bound to keep in mind the financial constraints + the global recession we are facing.

Mr Bencini knows that the teachers constraits are mitigated by shorter hours of work, more holidays/days off , together with a good financial packet. As a leading Trade Unionist Bencini is well aware also of the problems our country is facing , albeit despite the pain we have started to suffer we are still with our heads above water.

In these circumstances one hopes that both sides should find common ground to reach an amicable solution in the interest of the teaching proffession, the country's educational goals, and above all ensuring that not only we will not sink, like what happened to other countries, but also to ensure the creation of more jobs to ease the pain of those who are unemployed, or who may loose their job as a result of this recession.

Michael Seychell
Pieta

Nicholas Vella

Apr 30th 2009, 17:13

HOORAH!!!!!

THANKS A LOT DEAR MINISTER DOLORES CHRISTINA AND MUT. NOW, AFTER MY JUNIOR LYCEUM AND COMMON ENTRANCE EXAMS, MY TEACHER WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE US ON SCHOOL OUTINGS!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ^,^

S.Sammut

Apr 30th 2009, 16:45

MUT should NOT have called the directives off but suspend them according to how government reacts to the teachers' massive response to the strike action. It depends on the government's goodwill which until now we have seen very little of it.

G.Schembri

Apr 30th 2009, 16:15

Good work MUT , UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL. Well Done Mr Bencini keep up the good work.