The 2019 Junior College Collective Agreement remains significantly more advantageous when compared to the newly proposed MCAST agreement.
Lecturers at Junior College receive a basic salary far superior to that of their counterparts at MCAST. For the purposes of this analysis, the Union of Professional Educators (UPE) has examined the 2023 basic salary tables of both institutions. It is worth noting that the Junior College Collective Agreement has since expired and is currently pending renewal.
| Junior College (2019–2023 Agreement) | MCAST (Proposed 2022–2027 Agreement) | ||
| Grade | 2023 Salary (€) | Grade | 2023 Salary (€) |
| Senior Lecturer III | €45,200 | ||
| Senior Lecturer II | €41,376 | Senior Lecturer II | €40.957 |
| Senior Lecturer I | €37,563 | Senior Lecturer I | €37,289 |
| Lecturer (Max Step) | €33,127 | Lecturer | €33,280 |
| Assistant Lecturer | €30,910 | Assistant Lecturer | €31,093 |
The crux of the issue lies in the disparity between remuneration and academic responsibilities. Junior College academics teach at MQF Level 4 (Matriculation Certificate, Advanced Level, and Intermediate Level), whereas MCAST lecturers are qualified to teach up to MQF Level 7 (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and postgraduate degrees). Despite this, MCAST lecturers remain substantially underpaid relative to Junior College staff, even though they deliver higher-level education.
During negotiations, suggestions were made that the final agreement for MCAST would be “much better” than the Junior College Agreement. However, concerns have arisen that such assurances may have been directed primarily at senior management or directors rather than academic staff.
Notably, less than one-third of MCAST’s academic staff voted in favour of the proposed agreement. Reports indicate that a significant proportion of those who endorsed the deal held managerial or leadership roles within the institution.
