- Is the current financial package the final offer?
According to the MUT and the State, the financial packages are final.
3rd June 2024 – MUT Sources “It-tibdil hu limitat u ma jistax jinbidel il-qafas tal-ftehim, speċjalment l-aspett finanzjarju, li għall-gvern hu wieħed finali.”
Letters sent to all educators by the State – “Il-ftehim milħuq mal-MUT nhar il-Ġimgħa, 24 ta’ Mejju 2024 jinkludi diversi benefiċċji għall- edukaturi.”
2. Can the final text be emended?
The final text can be emended, but it usually goes hand in hand with what is being offered financially. As things stand it would be a stratigic mistake to change any text if financials will remain the same.
Up till now, nobody knows what text is being agreed upon, hence educators wouldn’t know if anything has changed from the 24th May 2024 ‘agreement’.
3. Why is the text version of the agreement important?
The text is the assence of the collective agreement, and outlines your working contract, including working hours, contact time, progression in salary, benefits as well as your job description.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) and policies are usually not discussed during sectoral agreements. Little is known to what extent these discussions will extend to. MUT seems to mention these policies and SOP’s, to make up for the lack of ground it actually covered during negotiations, and to extend its relevance. beyond the signing of the sectoral agreement.
The probability is that they will be discussed (not negotiated) after the signing of the sectoral agreement and not part of the actual text in the agreement.
It is clear that MUT’s stratagy is allegedly to lure educators into join the union to be able to ‘vote’ on non-agreement material. The questions is why not integrate it part of the sectoral agreement?
4. What are these SOP’s, Manuals and Policies that the other Union is reffering to?
According to the infamous powerpoint presentation at De La Salle College, these are the areas of discussion, out side of the sectoral agreement/
This list is not exhaustive:
- Sixth Forms
- Security in schools / Discipline
- Job descriptions
- Migrant Learners
- Reach Units
- Resource Centres
- Eko Skola
- SPLD
- King’s Trust
- Peripatetic services / Support services
These Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Manuals, and Policies, if they ever existed, remain a mysterious aspect of what educators will have to confront in the forthcoming months. Consequently, the UPE is vigilant and will ensure that members are kept informed of any issues that arise.
