A request for a warrant of prohibitory injuction filed by MCAST against the Malta Union of Teachers to stop the industrial actions ordered by the union has been provisionally upheld, the college said in a statement,
The action included a strike scheduled for today and tomorrow.
In a statement, MCAST said that while "we understand and appreciate the right to resort to industrial action, MCAST feels that such actions cannot take place during ongoing negotiations particularly when such meetings registered significant progress towards reaching a final agreement. MCAST strongly believes that these directives are abusive and illegal and in contradiction of the collective agreement provisions, particularly clause 46.1
These industrial action are being carried out during exams period, directly disrupting the college’s operations and worst of all, the students’ exams preparations. It is the duty of the management and the Board of Governors to safeguard the students’ interests especially when such actions are unfairly targeting them.
MCAST said it fails to understand the logic whereby MUT has decided to revert and increase industrial actions, thereby stalling negotiations once again at a stage when significant progress had been achievedand negotiations were still ongoing with another meeting already scheduled.
To date, an agreement had been reached on a number of issues including that of increasing the maximum salary for all lecturers to the maximum level proposed by MUT for 2018, MCAST said, appealing to MUT to once again allow negotiations to continue.
In a press conference held outside the MCAST premises, MUT president Marco Bonnici said the MUT was forced to suspend its industrial action until the case is heard next week.
"This is a clear manifestation that MCAST is trying to silence us and obstruct the union's legitimate work in the interest of its members. Moreover, such unprecedented action ... provides the worst possible message to both educators and students who value freedom of association and representation," Bonnici said.
The MUT is prepared to take all action necessary to ensure that the interests of its members are respected, Bonnici said, adding that the reasons given by MCAST for legal action are just excuses.
"We are not going to be intimidated by this court order. It is not going to silence us and this is not a threat just to MUT but also a threat to all unions," Bonnici said.
"We are not being greedy with our demands. MCAST educators want the same treatment as Junior College teachers. MCAST has now advanced to teaching up to level 7 (masters) and the conditions of such educators are not reflecting this," he said.
The MCAST adminstration later held its own press conference, during which chairman Silvio Debono said that the college was in no way trying to silence anyone.
Debono said however that there need to be reasons for a union to order a strike and that the college was completely surprised by the sudden industrial action notice announced by the union last week.
Debono said that after last week's meeting MUT and MCAST had agreed to continue negotiation talks, but son after leaving the meeting the union had ordered industrial action. There had been no sign of MUT withdrawing from the discussions and at no point had the situation reached a deadlock, he said.
The two sides had already agreed on the introduction of more grades of educators as well as on an increase in wages, with each educator to get approximately over 1,000 euro increase. There had also been agreement on additional pay for additional hours outside the classroom.
"There needs to be consensus from both sides, it takes two to tango," Debono said, adding that it's a mystery to MCAST why MUT decided not to continue negotiations.
Debono also stated that MCAST has verbally communicated with the director of employment to bring the two sides together as quickly as possible to reach an agreement. "I want to appeal to MUT to be rational, to meet with us as soon as possible," Debono said.