Outstanding Arears and Unsettled Resource Allowances
The Union of Professional Educators (UPE) is closely monitoring the negotiations at ITS, where numerous UPE members based on the campus have expressed concerns regarding the lack of transparent communication. This has resulted in heightened anxiety and demoralization as eighteen months have passed with no forward movement.
It is evident that the negotiating parties have been lethargic in their approach following the expiration of the agreement in December 2022, a pattern that echoes across other collective agreements like MCAST and the Sectoral Agreement.
The MUT is respobsabile for its contribution to the slow pace of negotiations.
A communication released on the MUT website on the 7th of May 2024 shed light on ITS’s response to financial matters for the first time on 19th April.
The UPE is echoing the same concerns raised in yesterday’s MCAST article:
When was the initial proposal presented by the MUT? (Considering the closure of the collective agreement in December 2022).
Within the mentioned timeframe, from January 2023 to April 2024, a total of 474 days should have sufficed for the formulation, submission, and discussion of the financial agreement.
As queried previously, could it be that the MUT is deliberatly prolonging negotiations as a strategy to exert pressure on the government ahead of the upcoming MEP election?
It is also common knowledge among academics that ITS has yet to disburse payments for Resource Allowances, leaving them unable to acquire necessary resources for daily work.
The UPE urges the Government to intervene promptly, as it appears that ITS has neglected its obligations towards its academic staff.
The treatment of specialized academics by ITS management and the MUT is disheartening.
Was there ever an agreement negotiated by the MUT which was carried in time and to the satisfaction of its members?
MUT members should take stock of the efficiency and effectiveness (or rather lack thereof) of their union.
The level of secrecy at ITS draws parallels to the clandestine nature portrayed in the renowned Tom Cruise movie, “Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation.”
