The Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) has ordered lecturing grades at the Junior College to initiate industrial actions from Friday.

This decision has been taken following a trade dispute with the University of Malta and the Government, which was declared in August 2021, the union said.

“Negotiations on a new collective agreement, which have been carried out during the past two years, reached a standstill, and conciliation meetings held did not lead to a positive outcome to conclude negotiations to the satisfaction of all.”

In view of this, the MUT ordered lecturing grades to refrain from answering all emails and internal phone calls, refrain from uploading or handing over assessment marks, not attend any departmental or committee meetings, refrain from organising CPD meetings or attending any meetings at tal-Qroqq and any other campus, refrain from giving contact hours outside timetabled hours, refrain from participating in official UM/JC events and refrain from returning attendances.

The union said that, unless there is a positive resolution to the dispute, it shall be escalating industrial actions with a two-hour strike on Monday 24 January 2022 from 11.00 till 13.00 followed by a one-day strike on Tuesday 25 January 2022.