Updated | MCAST withdraws court injunction against teachers' union

The Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology has withdrawn legal proceedings initiated against the MUT. It said it would be withdrawing the court injunction as a gesture of goodwill towards the union.

The college said however that while it was prepared to withdraw the injunction filed against the union, MCAST said  the withdrawal was conditional on the MUT "[returning] to discussions, which should resume uninterrupted until the Collective Agreement negotiations are concluded successfully".

"Notwithstanding the fact that discussions can continue irrespective of the court case, MCAST is however ready to take this step if it means an agreement can be achieved," it said.

In response the MUT said that MCAST goodwill was conditional, and it was not willing to accept such goodwill. Moreover the union noted that the offered indicated panic on the part of the college, and the offer had only come now that the court's decision was imminent.

Speaking in parliament on Thursday evening, Education minister Evarist Bartolo said the government had asked MCAST to withdraw the court injunction. He said he was confident an agreement with the Malta Union of Teachers on the collective agreement for MCAST lecturers, could be reached.

MCAST had filed a court injunction to stop the MUT from holding two two-hour strikes. The move was described by the union as “a grey day” for trade unionism.

The union ordered industrial action after talks on the collective agreement stalled. MUT wants MCAST lecturers to be treated at par like their counterparts at the Junior College.

In a statement on Friday morning, MUT said that after MCAST lost its credibility, it was a position to make conditions for the union.

The Union said that the school made the decision to withdraw legal proceeds without consulting MUT, and therefore made the decision alone and so said that they reserve the right to reinstate industrial action within the school.