On 6 November 2025, the Malta Union of Teachers declared a trade dispute with the government on the University of Malta Junior College agreement. It is a fresh dispute for the union - the latest one was a long-standing dispute with the government on the MCAST and ITS collective agreements, which was concluded with the signing of the respective agreements early this summer. In a brief statement, the MUT reported that the dispute is due to the failed reaction of the government to its financial proposal. Let us expand further.
The collective agreement for lecturing grades at the Junior College within the University of Malta expired in December 2023. It was an agreement that was concluded after years of negotiations. During its signing in 2022, whilst sharing the satisfaction, or better the relief for its conclusion, government representatives pledged publically that agreements should not take years to be concluded.
In its statement at the time, the MUT referred to the delays to reach an agreement and welcomed the government's pledge for agreements to be concluded earlier. Fast-forward to 6 November 2025, the date of the declaration of the trade dispute, and we have yet another collective agreement with no end in sight after almost two years of negotiations.
Contrary to some perceptions, the MUT resorts to disputes only when they are absolutely necessary. The union presented its first financial proposal to the government in July. There were ongoing promises in summer that the government shall provide its reaction. Three meetings were scheduled in succession to receive such reactions. The first meeting in August was cancelled for reasons beyond control of both parties. The government representatives did not turn up for the second meeting in October without any notification to the union. They attended the third meeting, held on 6 November claiming that they have no reactions about the financial proposal. The union objected strongly about the failed reactions claiming that the government is not committed to negotiate and to close this agreement.
Some may question whether the dispute is just about financials. The dispute is effectively about an agreement with no end in sight not only in terms of financials but also in terms of negotiations of conditions of work. The progress on the agreement, despite almost two years of negotiations, is very slow. With no forthcoming financial reaction, progress is almost insignificant. The delay seems to indicate a careless attitude of the government's negotiators, but it may be rooted deeper.
In October 2024 during Freshers' week, the Finance Minister Clyde Caruana criticised publicly the University of Malta's handling of finances leading to yearly deficit and accumulated debts. Many rebutted those claims at the time. Perhaps the strongest statement to-date on the University of Malta financial situation was made by University Rector Prof Alfred Vella.
In a recent interview with The Malta Independent, dated 25th October 2025, the Rector claimed unequivocally that the debt of 23M of the University of Malta had been caused by the salaries of collective agreements, adding that until three years ago the university did not have a single cent of debt.
This brings us to collective agreements. The University of Malta has three collective agreements. All three collective agreements were concluded and signed with the 'blessing' of the government whose representatives were part of negotiations. If, as claimed by Prof Vella, the university's debts started with the singing of agreements, it means that the government did not pass the required funds (subvention) to the university to make up for the salary increases of agreements. This effectively implies that the government is responsible for the said debts and not the University of Malta.
Back to the MUT dispute. Any negotiator representing the government or the university will not be willing to engage actively in an increase in salaries through collective agreements which would result in increased debts of the University of Malta. This may explain the reluctance in engaging in financial discussions with the Union on the new agreement.
In the absence of a counter claim to the Rector's statement or new facts which may emerge, the university's debts, caused by the government, need to be addressed by the same government and cannot affect negotiations of new agreements. Certainly, it cannot affect the lecturers who have contributed with their extensive work and efforts to the growth of the university; and not to its debts!
The MUT has another negotiations meeting later this month and is expecting the reactions of the government to the financial proposal. In the absence of such reaction, or if taken for a ride, the union shall initiate industrial action.
Marco Bonnici is president of the Malta Union of Teachers