The University of Malta Academic Staff Association (UMASA) yesterday said that in collaboration with the MUT, its members have agreed that negotiations should start with the University of Malta leading to a new collective agreement as soon as possible.

UMASA has noted with satisfaction that the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) welcomed the industrial tribunal decision in the case instituted by UMASA against the university.

That decision judged the categories of academic staff at the University of Malta and the Junior College to be distinct, as maintained by UMASA and therefore that the association, which has a mandate to represent the university’s academic staff, should take part in all discussions of a trade union nature with the university, UMASA said.

UMASA, being a professional and democratic union, held an extraordinary general meeting this week for its members to decide on the way forward following the decision by the industrial tribunal.

The EGM also agreed that the proposed collective agreement shall consist mainly of two completely independent sections reflecting the two categories of academic staff at the university and the junior college, and shall seek to obtain the best possible conditions for each category as required by the decision of the industrial tribunal.