Teachers’ Strike Averted After 20% Salary Increase Demand Is Accepted
An agreement between the Malta Union of Teachers and the Maltese government regarding the financial packet of state and church school teachers has been reached, bringing an end to weeks of tension, as well as putting Wednesday’s strike on hold.
The MUT president Marco Bonnici said that the government has met their demand for a 20% salary increase for educators. As such, there was no need for a strike this Wednesday, he stated.
The strike had been the culmination of 50 directives and a breakdown in negotiations between the union and the government.
“We asked for an over 20% rise and we reached our target”
Marco Bonnici
Meetings had been taking place over the last month, including as recent as last Thursday and Friday.
In today’s MUT meeting, other directives that had been previously given by the MUT have been also put on hold.
The MUT president noted that “we asked for an over 20% rise and we reached our target.” He pointed out that these discussions form part of a sectoral agreement, and that these discussion are still ongoing.
When negotiations are eventually completed, Bonnici said that a consultations process with MUT members would be held.
Education Minister Evarist Bartolo as well as Prime Minister Joseph Muscat commented on the agreement on social media.
As pledged in our manifesto, we struck a historic deal to significantly improve teachers’ salaries and conditions. So much for naysayers!-JM
— Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) November 6, 2017
What do you think of the agreement between the MUT and the government? Let us know in the comments below.
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