Disappointed educators still waiting for improved pay packets from sectoral agreement

Thousands of educators were left perplexed on Thursday when their paycheque did not reflect changes contemplated in the sectoral agreement finalised in June.

Educators in State schools had been told that changes to their pay grades, higher allowances and arrears due since January 2023 would be reflected in yesterday’s paycheque.

ONE News even ran a report on Thursday morning, saying educators will receive their improved paycheques on the day. The report was later removed.

Malta Union of Teachers President Marco Bonnici told MaltaToday the ministry has informed the union that the adjustments shall be issued at the end of October.

“The workings are complicated and take time and we prefer that they are issued without mistakes rather than have them accelerated and with mistakes,” Bonnici said when asked whether the union was disappointed.

A primary school teacher who spoke to MaltaToday expressed her frustration with the delay: “It’s been three months since the sectoral agreement was signed and the changes to our scales, the higher allowances and the promised arrears have not yet been implemented; I cannot understand what the delay is and it just goes to show how teachers are treated,” she lamented.

An LSE said when queries were made with the Education Department some time back, they were told the changes would be reflected in the paycheque that was issued yesterday.

“Despite the promise, the paycheque remained the same, which makes me wonder whether we are only important when an election is around the corner,” she said.

Government had piled pressure on the Malta Union of Teachers to conclude the sectoral agreement before the 8 June European election and had even sent educators personalised emails to inform them of the benefits of the agreement.

Union members had raised several questions at the time and the MUT renegotiated some aspects of the deal that was eventually approved by educators after the election and signed in July.

In the first pay after the agreement, all educators received a one-off bonus of €1,000 mentioned in the agreement.

Now, three months later they are still waiting for the promised adjustments to salary scales to happen and the higher allowances to come into force.

Educators are also waiting to receive a lump sum payment for arrears due since the agreement was backdated to January 2023. The previous collective agreement had expired in December 2022.

Government employees are paid every four weeks and the next paycheque is due on 31 October.