[WATCH] Do you approve of teachers' strike?

What do people think of teachers' demands

The Malta Union of Teachers issued 50 directives on 25 October after declaring a trade dispute with the government in relation to the financial stage of sectoral agreement negotiations.

On Wednesday, all government and church schools teachers will be on strike for the whole day, while MCAST and ITS teachers will strike for an hour.

Negotiations with government had failed when it came to discussions on financial proposals. The union was requesting a pay rise of more than 20 percent for all grades of teachers, but the government’s proposal was for less than a five percent increase over a five year period.

The MUT maintains that teachers have not seen an increase in salaries, contrary to other professions which have enjoyed pay rises throughout the past few years. It said that despite reassurances from high ranking government members that teachers’ salaries will be brought up to par with those of other government employees, this had not materialised.

The government, in a statement issued in reaction to MUT’s announcements, reiterated that it would be working for better conditions for teachers, which it said had been forgotten throughout 25 years of Nationalist administrations.

Last-minute negotiations between the two parties are ongoing.