The Malta Union of Teachers has said that it is deeply preoccupied at the continued impasse on the finalisation of the collective agreement for the academic staff at the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS).

The MUT had registered agreement with the management of ITS on the way forward during a conciliation meeting chaired by the Director of Industrial and Employment Relations. However, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment has elected to veto the agreement reached during the conciliation meeting.

Due to the serious foregoing circumstances, the MUT has no other alternative but to issue further directives to the academic staff at ITS.

As from next Monday, the 14th of January, all the academic staff is to refrain from performing any extra hours in addition to the normal teaching load established in the current collective agreement during normal working hours.

Academic Staff are also being reminded not to submit any examination papers for the first semester examinations. Further, the academic staff is being directed to continue to abide by the “work to rule” as already instructed by the Union.

The Malta Union of Teachers would like to emphasize that the above directives are not in any way aimed at the management of ITS. The MUT reiterates that it has found full co-operation from ITS management during negotiations and in the conciliation meeting wherein a workable solution was finally arrived at to the satisfaction of both parties. Regrettably, the consensual solution did not meet the Ministry’s approval who unilaterally elected to reject it outright.

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