The Malta Union of Teachers has registered a trade dispute with government, over its failure to process the request for recognition of grades at MCAST with a reasonable time frame.

"The Union stated that it is extremely disappointed after a submission for recognition of three grades at MCAST is still unresolved after being pending for months as the DIER and/or MCAST apparently fail to understand what they need to do in such circumstances," it said in a statement.

The Union concluded by stating that if things remain status quo by the end of the current week it will have no option but to order industrial action at MCAST as of next Monday.