KSU urges government and UĦM to consider industrial actions' effects on students

Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU) have urged government and the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin to consider the long-term implications of ongoing directives affecting the administrative, technical and industrial staff at the University of Malta.

In a statement on Tuesday, KSU stated the current directives have raised alarm over the potential ramifications on students, especially as the January Assessment period approaches.

As from 5 January, a set of directives towards the administrative, technical and industrial staff at the University of Malta were being told not to use communication devices across the university site. These measures were implemented after problems arose during collective agreement negotiations.

"While we acknowledge and respect the decisions made by the UĦM, it is crucial to highlight the collective sentiment among the student community regarding the challenges that exist. We firmly believe that a conducive working environment for University staff directly translates into an enriched educational experience for us, the students," KSU said.

The student group noted that a collective agreement for university staff should have been in place as early as December 2021, noting that the absence of such an agreement has understandably led to frustration and discontent among the staff. This frustration according to KSU, "inevitably trickles down to impact the overall learning experience for students."

KSU highlighted that the primary stakeholders adversely affected, students, are not directly involved in the decision-making process of the collective agreement, yet find themselves caught in the crossfire. 

"We have received a lot of feedback from students about how these directives are affecting their lectures, practicals and assignments and it is simply unacceptable to jeopardise the educational well-being of students," KSU said.

KSU urged all stakeholders to consider the conclusion to these negotiations as an utmost priority.