MCAST students to protest slow negotiations between MUT and government

MCAST students will hold a protest against the ongoing stalemate between government and the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) over negotiations on MCAST lecturers’ collective agreement. 

On Tuesday, MCAST lecturers appealed to the college to review its position on the MUT’s demands. The new collective agreement has been in the works for the past two years and nine months.

In a press release on Thursday, journalism student and former Kunsill Studenti MCAST vice president, Emma Brownrigg Fenech stated that frustration among students is growing. 

During the protest, students will demand a resolution to the ongoing dispute between the MUT and government. Bronwrigg Fenech noted that with the new academic year already underway, both students and lecturers are feeling the impact of the unresolved stalemate.

The protest is scheduled for Friday, 11 October at 11:45am outside the MCAST Paola canteen. 

The student noted that recent directives, that will be enforced by October 4th, have further strained relations, placing strict limits on communication, restricting extracurricular activities, and withholding academic feedback, leaving students uncertain about their academic progress.

"MCAST students and lecturers are being treated unfairly, and we will not stand by while our education is compromised," said Brownrigg Fenech. "Students deserve clarity on their academic future, and lecturers deserve fair wages. We are protesting to end this injustice."