Teachers' strike to go ahead, MUT says

The teachers’ strike will go ahead, despite the education ministry warning it will stop sectoral agreement talks if they do.

“Whilst the MUT shall remain open to any communication with the Government towards improved financials and conditions of work of educators, it is reaffirming the position on the ongoing trade dispute,” the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) said on Thursday.

The union insists the differences between what the government is proposing and what MUT is expecting are considerable.

“Therefore, the MUT directives shall proceed and the one-day strike for educators in State Schools and Church Schools shall be held on Monday 27th November as planned,” the MUT said in a statement.

On Thursday, government announced it will not continue negotiations with the MUT until the union suspends its directives.

The government and the MUT are locked in a dispute after sectoral agreement talks failed.

No details have yet emerged in public on the union’s demands and the government’s proposal.

Despite suspending negotiations, Minister Grima said that government is still open to negotiations, but only if MUT ceases its industrial action.

PN: Labour created a crisis in the education sector

The Nationalist Party said on Friday that government has created a crisis in the education sector, and now has “no idea” on how to solve it.

It said if government is confident in the financial package, it should publish it immediately.

Education spokesperson Justin Schembri

“If the government remains silent then it confirms that it is not comfortable revealing how much it is offering educators,” spokesperson Justin Schembri said.

UĦM: Parents should not be penalised for arriving late

The UĦM Voice of the Workers and the Allied Health Care Workers' Union insisted on Friday  that if the absence of school transport on Monday leads to parents arriving late for work, they should not face penalties.

The unions emphasized their stance against disciplining or causing financial harm to working parents who may need to personally transport their children to school due to this situation.

They said that if working parents experience negative repercussions because of this decision, they would initiate industrial action.