[WATCH] Update 3 | MUT storms out of meeting after Joseph Muscat's comments; strike still on

Updated at 1pm with Evarist Bartolo reaction

The government will be withdrawing the contentious Bills regulating the education profession as a sign of goodwill, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said.

He was addressing the media this afternoon shortly after the Malta Union of Teachers stormed out of a conciliatory meeting with education officials. Monday's strike by educators in all schools has not been withdrawn with union officials venting their anger at the manner in which the union was being treated.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo

The minister highlighted that many aspects of the existing law that dealt with teachers' warrants and the obligation to undergo continous professional development, were reflected in the proposed law being contested by the MUT.

However, Bartolo said the government will go back to the drawing board and was willing to work with the MUT on the matter. He played down the controversy over the Prime Minister's comments, insisting what Muscat had reflected government's position.

Union storms out of meeting

The Malta Union of Teachers stormed out of a conciliatory meeting with the education authorities, claiming that Joseph Muscat's comments to the media before the talks ended were disrespectful to educators.

Union officials were holding talks with the Education Ministry this morning in a bid to solve the impasse over legal changes proposed by the government to regulate education professionals.

Joseph Muscat's comments on the MUT's strike action

However, MUT President Marco Bonnici said the Prime Minister's comments to the press while the meeting was still ongoing were disrespectful and the union would "not stand for such behaviour".

Muscat was asked about the matter earlier on Friday morning after opening an old people's home in Fgura.

Bonnici said Monday's strike would still be held, insisting it was not only about the warrants but the manner with which the government was dealing with the union.

What Muscat said

The Prime Minister said government will withdraw the contentious Bills pending further discussions with the Malta Union of Teachers but insisted the union should stop strike action next Monday.

The Prime Minister said on Friday morning that the government was ready to accede to the union's demands to have the proposed laws withdrawn but expected the union to call off the strike, which he said would harm students. Muscat said he was surprised that the union had not given its immediate commitment to withdraw strike action.

Muscat said that the MUT had never raised the issue concerning the warrants during the consultation period.

He also cautioned against a situation in industrial relations that saw unions becoming more militant because of threats from other unions to poach their members.

Earlier

Strike action by educators in all schools next Monday is still on but the MUT and Education Ministry officials have been meeting this morning.

The conciliatory meeting started at 9am and is ongoing. The MUT and Education Minister Evarist Bartolo are both expected to hold a press conference later this morning.

The MUT was incensed with proposed changes to the Education Act, which it says threaten the permanent warrant of teachers. The MUT is insisting that the proposed changes are “an assault” on educators.

One of the proposed laws regulating the professions in education, speaks of the possibility that a teacher’s warrant may be suspended if the educator fails to engage in continuous professional development courses.

Government insists that there is no intention to have permanent warrants revoked or make them extendable every year.

Bartolo has reiterated the government’s door was open to discussions and changes will be made to the proposed legislation.

A similar appeal was made yesterday by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who urged the union not to resort to industrial action because government was willing to continue discussing the changes.

The MUT called a one day strike on Monday that will impact all State, church and independent schools. The directive also covers educators in tertiary education.

It also ordered educators to go to school today wearing black as a sign of mourning on World Teachers’ Day.