Updated: MUT issues series of industrial action directives

Adds comment by MUT vice president

The Malta Union of Teachers has issued a string of directives of industrial action to all teaching grades as the stalemate continues with the government over the payment of allowances

The union directed teachers in state schools to refrain from carrying out any administration/clerical work requested on a College based level; to refrain from involving themselves in any kind of College-based activity; and to refrain from attending meetings organized by the Directorates and Colleges. Heads and Acting Heads of School are to refrain from attending Council of Heads Meetings.

The MUT said all teaching grades are not to answer any correspondence from College Principals and/or from their offices.

Teachers, Learning Support Assistance and Kindergarten Assistants are to refrain from attending any kind of meeting before/during/after-school hours (including guidance meetings, subject meetings, SDP meetings, Professional Development Sessions, staff meetings, staff briefings etc.) except for meetings concerning students' welfare or wellbeing and urgent meetings concerning particular students' welfare or well-being only. This directive also excludes inservice courses that are currently underway.

All Teaching Grades are to refrain from attending/participating in School Councils.

KGAs, LSAs and all teaching grades are to refrain from washing or cleaning any toys, play material or resources used in the classroom.

All Teaching Grades, except those working in Special Schools and Resource Centres are to refrain from distributing milk and foodstuffs, helping in the organization thereof or in the cleaning process.

All Primary School Teachers are to refrain from preparing agendas, taking minutes or notes during Curriculum Development Sessions.

All Teaching Grades are also to refrain from participating in any meeting with parents/guardians outside parents' days or parents' evening except in the case of emergency where the welfare of the student or Teacher/KGA/LSA involved is concerned.

The MUT said Learning Support Assistants are not to attend student therapy sessions or hospital visits. This directive does not include timetabled sessions at Razzett tal-Hbiberija and other entities on which agreement between the union and the Directorate for Educational Services exists.

MUT Vice-President Kevin Bonello in a comment to timesofmalta.com said the directives has been issued after the Finance Ministry last week said that no anomalies existed in allowances given to teachers as compared to the rest of the civil service.

Mr Bonello said the government was not compensating teachers for new responsibilities they were being burdened with, and these directives therefore reduced some of these responsibilities. None of the directives directly affected schoolchildren and their parents but were directed solely at the responsibilities imposed on the teachers without compensation, Mr Bonello said.

He added that the MUT council would monitor the situation and was not excluding further action.