MUT secure collective agreement for government teachers

The agreement comes after two months of intense negotiations between MUT and education minister Dolores Cristina, and will provide for increases in allowances for government teachers.

Contacted, MUT president John Bencini said that although he cannot comment on the new collective agreement before it is signed on Monday, it was important to note that the MUT negotiated responsibly, with a conscience on the economic realities faced by government.

The agreement practically replaces the collective agreement reached in 2007 but had to be re-discussed after a series of anomalies were identified and government invited MUT for the re-opening of the discussions.

The negotiations did not involve any discussion about reducing summer holidays for teachers.

Meanwhile, MaltaToday is reliably informed that government is currently involved in negotiations with all trade unions over the renewed collective agreement for civil service that expires in December.

Sources have told MaltaToday that government has asked all trade unions to consider softening their positions regarding half-days in summer for civil service employees.

Government is proposing that half-days would end for certain sections of the civil service that render a vital service to the economy.

According to governmental sources, the proposal is backed by a compensation package for those employees who will be effected bya reduction in half-days, as Castille is stressing the importance that a “responsible balance” be reached to counter for the country’s needs in modern age.