Morning Briefing
Church schools, MUT reach collective agreement
Church Schools and the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) have signed a five-year collective agreement for educators, covering 2023 to 2027. Overseen by Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the agreement was formalised today at the Archbishop’s Curia in Floriana. Around 3,200 educators within the Secretariat for Catholic Education and 55 Church Schools across Malta and Gozo will benefit from this agreement, which includes significant salary increases, revised salary grades, improved allowances, and better working conditions. While addressing educators’ needs, the agreement also safeguards the unique identity of each Church school. Though each institution reflects its founder’s vision, all share core Catholic values. The contributions of religious superiors, rectors, directors, principals, and school heads were instrumental in finalising the agreement.
Employers broadly in agreement with labour migration policy, propose tweaks to key issues
Malta Employers has provided detailed feedback on the Labour Migration Policy consultation document, offering input on its 32 recommendations. Based on insights from a webinar with nearly 200 members, the organisation views the policy as necessary given Malta’s labour market demographics and reliance on foreign workers. While supporting better regulation, Malta Employers stressed the need for clear disqualification criteria and a fair appeals process. It called for precise definitions, such as excluding voluntary resignations and probation terminations from the minimum termination rate (Recommendation 1). High labour mobility, often beyond employers’ control, was also highlighted. Emphasising workforce retention, Malta Employers noted its benefits for productivity and cost reduction. It urged policymakers not to penalise employers for voluntary resignations and to account for seasonal fluctuations in labour demand.
Inquiry reform ‘will only shield politicians’ – former chief justice
Former Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri has criticized an upcoming government bill to reform magisterial inquiries, claiming it will “shield politicians and their associates from investigation.” In a response on Times of Malta’s comments board, Camilleri accused the government of having “captured” the police and Attorney General’s office and now working to eliminate the last avenue for citizens to pursue criminal investigations into politicians. Under the proposed bill, private citizens would no longer be able to directly request a magisterial inquiry, instead having to file a police report and wait six months before petitioning the courts to decide whether the inquiry should proceed.