MUT council postpones sectoral agreement voting process

The Malta Union of Teachers has decided to postpone the voting process on a new sectoral agreement after disappointment from educators on the proposed package.

During a meeting held on Friday, the MUT council said in a statement that it unanimously voted to postpone the voting process for the sectoral agreement.

"This decision was made due to the MUT's dissatisfaction with the government's written response, labeled as final, which failed to address the grievances of certain sections of educators raised during and after yesterday's meeting," the statement reads.

The union said the agreement should cater to all educators and that any educator who feels aggrieved by any aspect of the agreement should be heard.

"Therefore, the MUT Council decided to postpone the voting process. However, this does not mean that the MUT will stop gathering feedback from its members or explaining all the benefits found in the proposed agreement. In the coming days, the MUT will clarify financial aspects and correct any inaccuracies and misinformation regarding the agreement," the statement said.

It said this postponement will lead to necessary meetings with the government and members in the near future to address the pending issues and restart the voting process. 

Education ministry reacts

In a statement, the Education Minister said it is committed to a fair and substantial financial package for educators, believing the sectoral agreement significantly improves remuneration and working conditions.

It urged transparent discussion of the facts and said it looks forward to clear communication of the agreement's benefits to all educators.

Despite the MUT's postponement of the vote and call for further clarification, the ministry said it is confident in the agreement's value and seeks a resolution respectful to all parties involved.