A feeling of “betrayal” and “mistrust” over the manner in which the teachers’ union handled negotiations on the new collective agreement was the main reason behind the resignation of three of its council members.
Rita Catania, George Debono and David Rossi stepped down last Sunday following weeks of internal squabbles in the administration of the Malta Union of Teachers. They claim more often than not decisions were taken behind their backs and their concerns were not taken seriously.
This discontent has also spread to a section of the grass roots, as a significant number teachers have left the MUT, while others are seriously mulling whether they should follow suit.
Signed last month, the new collective agreement was hailed by both the Education Ministry and the MUT as a historic breakthrough which would bring a quality leap in teachers’ conditions of work.
However, the MUT’s announcement that educators would be getting a 28 per cent rise over a five-year period started being questioned by a number of members, who claimed that such benefits would only apply to those in higher grades and with years of experience.
Criticism was also levelled that no formal vote was taken among MUT members to endorse the agreement, though the union held a consultation process.
Contacted on Tuesday by Times of Malta, Ms Catania described her decision to leave as very sad.
“Having militated in the MUT for 35 years, I never expected that such thing would happen. Unfortunately I have been betrayed by none other than its own elected leaders and can no longer defend the members, as I am outnumbered within the council,” she remarked.
Mr Rossi described his relationship with the MUT leadership as one “endowed with mistrust” while expressing his concern that the union had fallen into an “abysmal state.”
This sentiment was echoed by the third council member who resigned. In a post uploaded in a Facebook group accessible only to MUT members, Mr Debono said that after 10 years in the council, he no longer felt trust in its present leadership.
Asked for his reaction, MUT president Marco Bonnici on Tuesday refuted claims that decisions had been taken behind people’s backs. He also stuck to his guns that teachers would get a 28 per cent increase over five years.
“Unfortunately, some members erroneously based their conclusions solely on the terms of the first year only,” he said.
Mr Bonnici also pointed out that putting the agreement to the vote among all teachers would have been a logistical problem due to the large number of MUT members involved.
“Instead we took the unprecedented step of consulting with them by other means. In the past, the agreement would be put to the vote at council level.”
However, the MUT president acknowledged that the departure of a number of members was of concern.
“I trust that after explaining further the terms of the agreement, the issue will be settled once and for all. The text of the agreement reflects the internal discussions held,” he insisted.