University and unions strike draft agreement

The University and two lecturers' unions have finally set aside their differences over lecturers' wages and struck a draft agreement.

In a statement issued yesterday morning, the University of Malta Academic Staff Association, the Malta Union of Teachers and the University said they would present the agreement to members for approval.

The statement said that the two unions and the University held three intense meetings in the presence of Director of Department of Industrial and Employment Relations Noel Vella, who acted as mediator.

When contacted, Umasa president Dr Victor Buttigieg refused to disclose any details, but said that the union was satisfied with the "improved" package.

MUT president John Bencini said that the discussions revolved around the wording of the agreement, especially the working conditions of the academic staff.

On Thursday, the lecturers' unions and the government met once again around the negotiating table to sort out the long-standing dispute over the collective agreement and salaries.

The deadlock was finally broken the previous evening when Umasa and MUT lifted their directives, just hours after an animated rally by students who demanded an end to the dispute.

"The university and unions were ready to concede certain points because both sides had the common good of the University as their first priority," said Mr Bencini.

In a statement, the University Students' Council expressed satisfaction at the news. It hopes academic staff will now approve the agreement.

The lecturers have been in a long-running dispute with the government over their wages. At the beginning of summer they had decided not to issue exam results, but after negotiations were restarted the directive was lifted.

However, in December, Umasa had asked lecturers to boycott committees, sub-committees and senate meetings, to stop work on the introduction of new courses, not to hold exams in January and not to publish assignment results until further notice.