The long-awaited collective agreement for Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology (MCAST) lecturers remains unresolved, with negotiations stalling despite claims by the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) that it is prioritising a “good” financial package. Delays in finalising the deal risk escalating costs for government coffers, as lecturers—like their counterparts in State and Church schools—are owed significant backdated payments (arrears) stretching to 2023.

Critically, the Union of Professional Educators (UPE) warns that prolonged delays could diminish the value of future pay adjustments. With 2023 and 2024 salary terms still unnegotiated, lecturers may receive only nominal increases for these years, undermining the “real deal” they had anticipated. Meanwhile, the MUT’s decision to lift industrial directives without securing tangible outcomes has fuelled frustration, leaving staff with little progress to show after months of talks.

A possible resolution may not materialise until summer 2025, leaving educators in prolonged limbo. With uncertainty over arrears and future pay stability unresolved, frustration in Malta’s tertiary education sector continues to mount—threatening staff morale.