MUT prepares for an Mcast showdown

Updated at 5pm: Adds Mcast reply Industrial action directives are expected to be issued by the Malta Union of Teachers tomorrow after the union today declared an industrial dispute with Mcast. In a statement this afternoon, the union said the the college had failed to respect a deadline to provide counter proposals for financial aspects of the collective agreement being negotiated. The union said it submitted its financial proposals to Mcast several weeks ago and observed all time-frames of the agreement, including attending a meeting earlier today during which the college was meant to pass on its financial proposals. In correspondence with Mcast management, the MUT said that it was clear that while the union was taking agreements seriously, Mcast was dragging its feet and finding excuses to avoid commitments, to the detriment of educators and students. The union warned that it would be issuing industrial action directives to members tomorrow. Mcast's replies In a reply, Mcast said it was strongly committed to reach a new collective agreement which gave a fair, just and improved package to its academic staff. It was committed to conclude the text of the new agreement and had...