The Union of Professional Educators (UPE) announced on Monday that it has obtained the majority support of state school Learning Support Educators (LSEs).

The UPE expressed how this development “is a major blow to the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT)” because they have now lost a large amount of membership base as well as overall negotiating power.

The UPE was developed after many educators came together because they were dissatisfied with the “disastrous collective agreement that was negotiated and signed by the MUT”.

Furthermore, the UPE expressed how they will support the LSEs and that they will do this whilst adhering to the principles of transparency and honesty. They stated that “No educator will be forgotten” after they promised to offer support to other sectors in the months ahead.

Following this development, the union’s executive head Graham Sansone and the rest of his team expressed their gratitude to all their members for achieving this in their short life span of four and a half years.

The UPE underlined how they will be “vigilant” when it comes to ensuring that the industrial law is followed at all times.

Moreover, the UPE expressed its excitement to work with many directors within the Ministry of education, specifically Education Minister Clifton Grima and Permanent Education Secretary Matthew Vella.

MUT enjoys the majority of LSEs employed in the education sector and is the sole recognised union - MUT

In a reaction to the claim that UPE has the majority of LSEs as its members, the MUT affirmed that it has instead the majority of LSEs as its members employed in state, church and independent schools.

The MUT said in a statement that it shall continue to work for the interest of LSEs, who form part of all education grades giving services in schools. The MUT said that it believes that the interests of educators can only be met when there is a united front consisting of all educators.

"Splitting of educators is detrimental to the same minorities seeking separate representation. This is contrary to the belief, clearly shown by UPE, who sees that divided grades would obtain any added benefits,"  the MUT said.

The MUT said that this year it shall commence negotiations of a new sectoral agreement for LSEs and all education grades since the sectoral agreement in force shall expire later this year.