Teachers’ union threatens industrial action over suspension of new posts

The Malta Union of Teachers has recently registered disputes with the government over two issues, namely the suspension of the process of appointing education officers and withdrawal of special leave granted to Maltese teachers occupying translator posts in EU institutions in Brussels and Luxembourg. While a compromise was reached regarding the translator posts, the trade union is considering industrial action if the government persists in keeping the posts of educational officers vacant.

Recruitment of education officers cancelled

The Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) decided to suspend talks with the government regarding reform of the educational sector, after the recruitment process for a number of high-ranking posts in the education division of the Ministry of Education was withdrawn. A call for applications for 40 education officers had already been published, but the education division decided that for the time being these posts were to remain vacant. Following this decision, a notice was sent to the applicants for the posts, informing them that the recruitment process had been withdrawn and explaining that the education division preferred to fill such posts after the reform was implemented.

MUT’s council stated that this move was unacceptable and that the trade union was considering taking industrial action if the government continued to keep these positions vacant. At present, the work related to these posts is being performed by retired personnel on temporary employment contracts, who work for a stipulated number of hours per week. This situation is frustrating for those officials holding the required qualifications and experience to fill the relevant posts. MUT insists that the process for filling these posts should continue, failing which it will suspend talks with the government about the educational reform. However, no decision has yet been reached by the union and the government.

Special leave for government employees

Another source of conflict was the extension of special leave for 100 government employees who had taken up translator posts in EU institutions in Brussels and Luxembourg. This issue is of particular interest to MUT since the majority of translators employed within these institutions are teachers. The trade union expressed its concern over the fact that the conditions of special leave have been changed for a number of teachers. The MUT President, John Bencini, stated that he cannot understand the government’s change of attitude. When Malta joined the EU in May 2004, government employees, especially teachers, were encouraged to take up the posts of translators on grounds of public policy. This meant that during leave of absence they would retain all their rights as if they were still in regular employment in Malta. However, about 100 people currently working as translators have been told that their leave period is not going to be extended.

On 23 October 2006, these translators received a notice stating that special unpaid leave is not given by the government for more than three years. Hence, should these employees decide to stay in Brussels or Luxembourg for more than the stipulated time, they will lose their current post with the Maltese public service, thereby forfeiting all their benefits and years of service to date. Only high-ranking translators (referred to as A9 translators) or high-ranking officials were entitled to special leave on grounds of public policy.

MUT argued that this situation is unjust. After moving abroad together with their families to solve a serious problem of a shortage of translators in the EU institutions, these public officials are suddenly being asked to return to Malta or risk losing their government job. Morever, if these employees returned to Malta, they would leave a large gap in the Maltese language translation sections of the various EU institutions. On contacting the Office of the Prime Minister, MUT was informed that the directive was issued by the EU.

On 29 December 2006, a compromise was reached after the government agreed to modify the contentious circular sent to the translators in question. The new agreement stipulated that those government employees who were granted official leave to work as translators could now ask to extend their stay for another year. A total of 30 teachers took up this option. This new arrangement allows employees to retain their post for the agreed period but not their seniority.

Commentary

It seems unlikely that the ongoing dispute regarding the education officers will escalate. Previous experience has shown that, in similar cases, both parties managed to find an amicable solution.

Christine Farrugia, Centre for Labour Studies, University of Malta