Updated - Adds brief MUT comment - St Monica School said today that it disagreed with an MUT complaint about the wording of a call for applications for assistant head and it expected applicants to live up to the Catholic ethos of the school.
It however issued a change to the wording of the call.
The Malta Union of Teachers said yesterday it had complained to the school after it issued a call for applications for the post of assistant head, listing among the requirements that applicants must be practicing Catholics. The union said this was "a clear breach of agreement, discriminatory and arguably illegal."
But Sr Veronica Gerada, the head of school, in a reaction today said:
"I acknowledge the right of any trade union to put forward its views. Obviously I do not agree with them.
"The school also has a right to put forward its ethos and defend the choice made by parents.
“We have the comfort of a human rights legal adviser in our position. Adding to this, I would have expected the union to contact and discuss the issue with me before sending me an email with an ultimatum and threatening action. This is especially preposterous as on countless occasions we have consulted the union for advice with regards to various matters,” she said, adding that there was still a good working relationship with the MUT.
Asked whether the school would be retracting the call and re-issuing another one, Sr Gerada explained that that prior to yesterday’s article in Times of Malta (reproducing the MUT's warning) she had already forward an amendment in the original call. It states “Must be of good moral character and live up to the Catholic ethos of the School.”
“We have been advised that the school’s position is well supported from a legal, constitutional and human rights point of view. For example, Para 4 of Legal Notice 461 of 2004 clearly states that an employer for a genuine and legitimate justification can employ a person with a particular religion,” Sr Gerada said.
The MUT in a newsletter acknowledged that the change had been made.
"The MUT is informed that the call for Assistant Head by St. Monica School Gzira reported yesterday has been amended and the statement “practising Catholic” has been removed. Meanwhile, the questions raised by the Union have not been answered," the union said.
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