Updated | MUT snubs MCAST's conciliatory meeting

Following the prohibitory warrant to stop industrial action, MCAST has resorted to setting up an urgent conciliatory meeting to continue negotiations, the Malta Union of Teachers said on Friday.

In a statement, MUT said that the prohibitory warrant to stop industrial actions had made the issue 'sub judice'.

“MCAST has made it impossible for the MUT to meet, since case is now 'sub judice',” the MUT said in a statement.

Yesterday the MUT condemned the legal action taken by MCAST to stop strike action at the school, describing it a “grey day” for trade unions.

MCAST wanted to stop the strike action ordered, following the failure to close the collective agreement for its more than 600 members at the college.

The administration at MCAST filed a court injunction on Wednesday, which was provisionally upheld. 

The case will be heard in court on Wednesday.

MCAST statement

The MUT had refused to arrange another meeting, on MCAST’s request, for the negotiations to continue.

Contradicting MUT's statement, MCAST said that the court case did not prevent the two parties from meeting, despite it being ‘sub judice’.

In a press release sent today, it said that it had requested MUT’s employment and industrial relations director to schedule a meeting, where the college could present a set of conditions which were better than those previously offered.

“There is already agreement on some of the conditions, and in other cases there is an improvement on some of the other terms,” MCAST maintained, highlighting that it had asked for the meeting to be set for 29 January.

“We note that unfortunately the MUT has once again refused to meet and continue negotiating,” it said.

“It is in the parties’ discretion to continue negotiations, so as to reach an agreement without further delay, in the interest of everyone, especially the lecturers and student,” MCAST remarked.