The University Students' Council (KSU) is now considering 'radical action' due to the impact of union directives at University of Malta.

The UHM Voice of the Workers has issued a series of directives for administrative, technical, and industrial workers at the University of Malta. The issue arose after both the University's administration and the Ministry of Education continued to drag its feet on the finalisation of the renewed collective agreement for these workers, which had expired since December 2021. Last Wednesday, Education Minister Clifton Grima had said that University of Malta representatives would be sitting down with the UHM.

But students are feeling the impact of the directives, and KSU has now launched a petition. In a seperate post on Instagram, KSU President Jeremy Mifsud Bonnici, said that at 10.30am on Wednesday "we shall walk out of our lectures and rally together on quad as a united student body! We will not tolerate being used as pawns in a dispute we are not involved in in any way. Tomorrow is the only and last chance to keep our exams as they are!"

In its petition, the KSU said that it has been in contact with all stakeholders regarding the UĦM Directive, and "finds that students' pleas have fallen on deaf ears."

"No relevant information has been communicated regarding the impasse in negotiations. KSU is aware that a meeting is to be held tomorrow where the final financial package can be approved. Unfortunately, from our sources it seems that the financial package is unlikely to be approved, necessitating a postponement of the first week of exams, a week after the current final week. KSU is aware that although the parties involved may agree on a conclusion tomorrow - the financial package which is the epicenter of this saga must be finally approved by the Ministry of Finance, meaning that we have no time to waste," the online petition read.

"Whilst so far KSU has focused all its efforts to gain information on the negotiations, the number of complaints being received increased drastically, both from students and their parents, who remain desperate for updates as to if and when exams will take place," the petition reads

The amount of repercussions that are being created due to this situation keeps increasing every day, with a lot of pressure piling up to solve the problems that the students are facing because of the parties' inability to move forward, the KSU said.

"The delay is already felt, with students being unable to sit for practical or clinical sessions, a lack of publication of the examination instructions to assist students with the way forward on examinations, students on Erasmus unable to receive correspondence and other student centered services essential to their academic success," the petition continues.

KSU said that it has constantly been communicated to all parties that students are missing out on opportunities, "with the situation worsening with every day that passes. Should the tertiary education sector truly be as important as the parties make it out to be, the parties involved, in particular the Ministries involved in this debate, should put their money where their mouth is - and see that the deadlock is resolved without delay rather than postponing talks without sending officials to the negotiation table."

Last week KSU published a statement "with the endorsement of a resounding amount of student organisations endorsing a plea for an end to these negotiations.  However, since this plea has been ignored, the next stage of action is now upon us. Hereunder we are launching the KSU petition on this matter, inviting students to unite against this blatant abuse of the student body. It is in the spirit of educational and academic success that we are requesting that exams happen as planned - the fruit of the students' hard work this year, which should not be held hostage for any reason, least of all the salaries that the lecturers' receive."

"We are publicly announcing that if the action is not lifted, and a solution not found by tomorrow the 16th of January, KSU will move forward with radical action. A student rally will be called later on, in light of the shameful oversight of students' rights and use of students as a convenient tool in this whole saga. It is disrespectful and insulting for students to be disregarded to this extent. KSU remains adamant in safeguarding the rights of the student, today and always, and calls on all parties to join in this fight to truly safeguard what is rightfully ours."