Head teachers consider setting up breakaway union as more teachers join UHM

The Malta Independent online

07 March 2010

by STEPHEN CALLEJA

As more teachers approached the Union Haddiema Maghqudin, following what they described as a political speech by Malta Union of Teachers president John Bencini at last Sunday’s protest march in Valletta, head teachers and assistant heads are also considering setting up their own breakaway union because the MUT is “disregarding their interests”, The Malta Independent on Sunday has learnt.

Last week, this newspaper reported that the UHM was opening its doors to teachers who were unhappy with the “politically-charged” MUT, with Mr Bencini retaliating by mentioning this journalist twice during the demonstration held against the utility tariffs. During the past week, this newspaper has continued to receive reports of more teachers who were thinking of resigning their membership from the MUT.

A number of teachers have also joined the Union Haddiema Maghqudin over the past week, UHM secretary-general Gejtu Vella has confirmed. More have asked for meetings with the union, and these are expected to be held this week, he added.

This has happened even though the MUT has pulled back somewhat since Sunday’s protest, with Mr Bencini himself withdrawing from another demonstration held on Monday because of the insults that were being hurled in the direction of government MPs, including the Prime Minister.

Mr Bencini’s position, after Parliament last Monday voted against the motion presented by the Opposition, was that the politicians had spoken and there was little else that unions could do. This was interpreted as being a way for the MUT – and the Forum Unions Maltin of which Mr Bencini is also president – to disassociate itself from the position taken by GWU secretary-general Tony Zarb, who described the government MPs as “traitors of the people”.

But this has apparently not been enough, as teachers who contacted this newspaper said that the MUT should have known beforehand that it was being used for political purposes and that, following its participation in last week’s protests, it is difficult for the union to rid itself of the political tinge it has been given.

This newspaper is informed that the teachers of at least two schools are ready to leave the MUT “en masse” and that there seems to be a deep division within the MUT council itself over the issue. Some members are even considering their position on the council, confirming, as Mr Vella said last week, that a council member had approached the UHM to express concern at the way the MUT is being run.

The MUT would not confirm whether there had been any resignations from the union this past week. When asked by this newspaper, in an email sent on Thursday, to say whether there had been any resignations, MUT general-secretary Franklin Barbara replied on Friday at 4pm referring this newspaper to the Registrar of Trade Unions.

The MUT could well have another battle to face, and this from a number of head teachers and assistant head teachers who are considering setting up their own breakaway union “if the MUT continues to disregard their needs and requirements, and issues directives to teachers that affect the organisation of a school,” The Malta Independent on Sunday has learnt.

“We have been suffering for too long at the hands of a union that is only interested in the conditions of the teachers while at the same time it ignores the fact that, as a union, it should also be defending the rights of other sectors of the teaching profession, including headmasters and assistant head-teachers,” sources said.

The MUT does not even realise that, in the latest set of directives it issued in its current dispute with the government, the people who were most affected were the head-teachers and their assistants, they added.

“It was not the minister, neither the directors general, who suffered the most when the MUT came out with a list of directives following the industrial dispute it registered over the payment of allowances. It was the school administration, namely the head teachers and their assistants, who are being affected, and ultimately it was the students who are being disrupted,” the sources said.

The MUT ignores head teachers and assistant head teachers to the extent that, in the last agreement it signed with the government, which was described as historic, teachers with at least 16 years of experience receive the same salary as assistant heads.

“While teachers with that many years of experience should be compensated well for their work, at the same time it must be realised that assistant head teachers, however, have a greater responsibility to carry and therefore should have a higher salary. However, the MUT agreed that both should be on the same salary scale,” the sources said.

The salaries headmasters receive are also only slightly higher than those received by assistant heads, which is perhaps why fewer teachers are applying for the post of assistant head and head-teacher.

“They know that the remuneration package of head-teachers and assistant head-teachers, in spite of the added responsibilities, is either equal (as explained above) or slightly higher than that of a teacher. Teachers with over 16 years’ experience who become assistant head-teachers know that, in spite of getting a promotion, they will not get a salary increase,” the sources said.
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=102683