(Adds MUT's reaction, statement by Malta Employers Association)
An association grouping heads of Church schools this morning accused the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) of bullying and not having a clue about the Catholic ethos of Church Schools.
The Church Schools Association (CSA) said it deplored the way how the MUT expressed its opinion regarding recruitment of staff in Church Schools, using sweeping statements and ignoring the procedures laid down in the agreement for teaching grades between the Church and the MUT.
"Such repeatedly bullying attitudes by the MUT towards the Secretariat for Catholic Education and the Church Schools leaders is neither respectful nor conducive to any progress in education in Malta," the association said.
"Once again the MUT are proving that they do not have a clue about the Catholic ethos of Church Schools when they frivolously latch it on to centralization and bad practice in recruitment. Whilst the CSA totally agrees with the Secretariat for Catholic Education in disapproving of any alleged irregular recruitment practices, it reiterates its position against advocating centralisation when the educational trend in Malta is towards devolution and autonomy of schools. It is indeed intriguing that the MUT is travelling in the opposite direction. Our model of respecting the different charisms of schools within a collegial structure is successful (even academically) and gives a very valid contribution to a large proportion of Maltese students," the association said.
"We feel offended by the way MUT chose to tackle allegations and invite them to adopt a dialogical approach that respects the dignity of our profession."
In its statement, the MUT had called for an urgent meeting with Archbishop Charles Scicluna to reform the teacher recruitment process to reflect honesty, transparency and good practice.
It said it was not excluding action, which might include naming and shaming schools resorting to shameful practices.
The MUT said that in the last weeks it was informed by various members about shambolic practices that were not only a disgrace on those schools and their heads but also a far cry from the “Catholic practice” being suddenly expected from Church school teachers.
MUT REACTS
Reacting to the Church Schools Association statement, the MUT said it was was not surprised at the stance taken by the association given that at least two members of its committee led schools reported to have highly questionable and debatably abusive recruitment practices.
"The union asks the CSA to make sure that before its members preach about ethos, it makes sure that they are practicing it themselves. Meanwhile the union also asks the CSA what measures it will be taking with respect to its own members who are found to have abused the recruitment process," the MUT said.
MEA statement
The Malta Employers' Association stated that probationary regulations applied equally for both employers and employees, and neither party was bound to give any reason as to why employment was terminated during a probationary period.
The association said that the MUT allegation that there were employees in church schools whose employment was terminated during probation without being given a reason was in no way illegal.
Likewise, a teacher could abandon his or her post during a probationary period during a scholastic year without justifying his or her actions, even though in many cases this could have serious repercussions on students' welfare.
The association said the rights and obligations of both employers and employees in employment legislation were to be respected, and any employer could not be accused of malpractice if he was utilising the entitlement to these rights as defined in the Employment and Industrial Relations Act.
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