(Adds lifting of directives on Razzett tal-Hbiberija)

The MUT and the UMASA (the union which represents academic staff at the university) have declared a trade dispute with the University over a stalemate in talks on the collective agreement for academic staff at the University and Junior College.

"The unions requested salary proposals reflecting the vision for the University and Junior College as contained in the draft agreement. The salary proposals, as presented by the authorities, did not meet the legitimate expectations of both unions," according to a joint statement by the unions.

"The salaries which have been offered by the university are way below what we had been expecting," MUT general secretary Franklin Barbara told timesofmalta.com.

Earlier this summer, during another industrial dispute over the collective agreement, the trade unions ordered lecturers not to file examination papers. The directives were later lifted amid complaints by the students.

Meanwhile, the MUT in another statement this afternoon said it was lifting directives it had given to learning support assistants not to accompany school children to Razzett tal-Hbiberija.

The union said the Directorate for Educational Services had confirmed that when such visits were part of an approved educational programme in state schools, the assistants were covered by the same rights and obligations as when they worked within school premises.