‘Ministry taking advantage of educators’; unions issue directives

The Union of Professional Educators (UPE) has issued directives to its members effective as from today over the ‘mistreatment’ of educators by the Education Department.

The UPE executive head Graham Sansone highlighted how the Ministry of Education and Employment is taking advantage of educators in a number of ways: “The Ministry fails to pay educators for overtime and it is shocking to see our educators currently working one and a half hours overtime and getting paid for just one hour by the Ministry.”

Sansone was referring to educators who have taken up transport duties and are being exploited by being paid one hour less than they have worked. He said that these educators are working one and a half hours on transport supervisions before school and after school hours, which sums up to three hours of overtime a day, which the Ministry is paying them for two hours of work.

“The Ministry is failing to pay for twenty hours of overtime on every monthly salary of each of the Educators involved in the task.”

Salary injustice for certain LSEs

Sansone highlighted that another problem and concern of the union was the “injustice with regards to the salaries of certain LSEs.”

He said that certain LSEs were being paid rates that were less than those who have been in the job less.

“This injustice cost these LSEs a two-year long reduction in pay. This money, is owed to the LSEs and their families is being retained by the Department of Education.”

Another issue which the Minister “shrugs off” is the issue that the education authorities of refusing to provide details on the teachers to student ratio.

He said that not only was the government not providing educators this information, but when the union asked for the document, the Department said it was an internal one which could not be shared.

As from Friday, LSE’s, KGE’s and teachers, are not to attend or carry out any work on any individual education programme (IPE), not to work on any adaptations of work for students with special needs and to not carry out or document observations in schools.

Sansone said that the directives will only be lifted once the issues are addressed by the Education Ministry. He also highlighted that come Monday, additional directives on school transport will be announced.

“When we spoke to the Permanent Secretary Frank Fabri, he seems to not understand the severity of the problems.”

MUT also has disputes, ultimatums in place

Malta Union of Teachers (MUT), meanwhile, used the occasion to highlight its own directives and ultimatums on the LSE salary dispute. On transport supervision, the MUT said the Ministry had reneged on the decision for last year’s conditions to remain unchanged.

It also insisted that:

• Onboard supervisors (kinder routes) are to be paid a flat rate per trip

• Onboard supervisors 11/shared Primary Schools are to be paid a flat rate per trip

• Onboard supervisors 11/shared Middle/Secondary Schools are to the paid flat rate for the trip and pro-rata rate for the early arrival/dismissal supervision

• Onboard supervisors Resource Centres are to be paid pro-rata rate for the trip and pro-rata rate for the early arrival/dismissal supervision

As far as LSE salaries are concerned, it reminded that it had already issued directives and that it will be holding another meeting the matter this [Friday] morning. On the issue of early arrival/dismissal supervision, the MUT said that all schools will now have an allocated number of points as established in the sectoral agreement.