From Mr F. Galea
The recent stand by the MUT vis-à-vis the CMTU has raised quite a furore especially among bureaucrats. Ever since I joined the MUT in 1962, I realised that in fact bureaucrats are enemy number one of teachers and their union and are always, wholly or partly, to blame for our woes.
On the other hand, I would like to present some historical ‘coincidences’ for consideration.
In the reorganisation exercise of the 1960s, teachers (and masters, then) were graded much lower than we expected. The PN lost the subsequent election (1971). The MUT signed an agreement with the Labour government on its own. This agreement included items that made bureaucrats livid.
Labour won the 1976 election. Members of the government started on a campaign of vindictive transfers (I was one of the victims) of teachers. It lost the election, the majority at least.
The 1984 lockout and its aftermath, like mob-leading politicians, still hurt a lot. Inevitably, Labour lost.
The agreement of the early 1990s, although prima facie an excellent one, turned out to be an exercise in elitism, now typical of any PN administration, and the PN lost out in 1996. After the euphoria of joining Europe, in which the MUT joined the PN bandwagon, the PN won the election.
The next administration wanted to implement great things in education, but, more often than not, presented teachers with a fait accomplì and also embarked on more savage elitism. Whenever the MUT was in conflict or in disagreement, diaphanously veiled statements of incitement against teachers were dished out. People in the PN had warned back in September 1987 that although the PN government was as strong as Samson, it ought to be wary lest it remained buried under the ruins of what it destroyed. They did just that.
Sequel: can one consider the loss of a 15k-vote majority an electoral victory? The bottom line is ‘do not mess about with teachers’.
Although prejudiced in favour of teachers, being one in aeternum, I think that the incidence of the happenings listed above are consistent enough to warrant their elevation from mere coincidences to possibilities, at least. Teachers have close, influential contact with every age group on a daily basis. Those from 13 upwards constitute the new voters. A section of these back the PL/PN. But there is also that section which wants to make up its own mind. Here, teachers hold sway more than propaganda and prevarication. So keep teachers happy, content and with less stress.
Just as a reminder, the MUT (with the GWU, then representing the nurses mostly) negotiated equal pay for men and women against much bureaucratic opposition. On its own and against all odds and bureaucratic opposition, the MUT also brought about the dignified agreement of the 1970s. These are the kind of rabbits it is capable of pulling out of its hat
Frank Galea
ZEBBUG