The Malta Union of Teachers is in at an interesting stage of development. Always on the forefront of activity, the oldest trade union in Malta is more than equipped to face up the challenges of a modern education system. This is witnessed by its ever-growing membership and renewed interest from all teaching grades – especially the younger generation.
The last few years the MUT has seen an unprecedented increase in its membership across the whole spectrum of the local education sector: from kindergarten to higher and further education. The number of MUT members in 1998 stood at 4,900; the number has now reached almost 8,000. This would not have been the case, if the MUT were not a forward-looking trade union, based upon sound principles, and backed up by valid experience. Yet the MUT is young at heart as well as in its membership. The mixture of experience and young dynamism is the key behind the success of the MUT as the largest sectorial trade union in Malta. This Union which now enjoys the trust of nearly eight thousand educators, is well reflected in the composition of the MUT Council - the Union’s governing body - but also in the Union leadership, a guarantee for continuity and innovation at the same time.
Of course, the MUT is at a crossroads. But I ask: when was the MUT not at a crossroad? A union with such a strong, dynamic and proactive profile is always at a crossroad for decisions have to be taken every single day of its existence. The MUT has never shied away from taking a stand and will never cower in the face of any challenge. During my terms of office as President of the MUT, I have been comforted by the strong support and direction of wise Council decisions and most importantly by our delegates and the whole MUT membership. The membership always rallied massively to the Union’s directives and also convinced the few non-members to stand united at decisive moments. The Union’s directives are obeyed almost by one hundred per cent of all teaching grades. Moreover, in its important stands the MUT has received the backing of the other major trade unions, in itself a definite indicator of the Union’s credibility and standing.
The strong support and trust the MUT enjoys amongst all educators is certainly evidence of the sense of ownership they feel towards their Union. Over the last years, the MUT has organized a record number of meetings for all levels of its membership and sectors. School visits are the order of the day - rather than waiting for members to come to our offices - Union officials have taken the plunge and are visiting school after school, staffroom after staffroom and classroom after classroom. The MUT is a union of educators for educators - our continuous presence in schools and educational establishments is the best testimony of this. The MUT has already fostered, and is continuously fostering increased activism amongst its roots. This it does, not only by organizing meetings for its hardcore and staunch supporters but most importantly by being there at the very workplace where educators earn their daily bread. Union members can find solace in being attended to individually at our offices where they receive our undivided attention and care and most importantly at the workplace. School visits are of utmost importance since they encourage even the most reserved of teachers to discuss their concerns which would have otherwise remained bottled up inside themselves.
The MUT is doing huge leaps in its communication strategy. The Union website is continuously being adjourned with developments and has become a major information site about happenings in local education. Council Members and Delegates are informed in real time of important communication through an effective use of e-mail and mobile telephony. Effective communication is certainly our priority - this is exactly what the Union is committed to and continuously adapting for further improvement.
What is being proposed by some for the future of the MUT in reality is a certificate of excellence for what the Union is actually doing at present. This vision for the future is our present undertaking. The Union has already committed itself to providing training for its Delegates (witness the last union’s Conference), amended the Statute to make the Council more representative of all teaching grades and enable membership of educators serving within the Student Services. Teachers who are really and truly adjourned with the Union’s developments happening in recent years would certainly know that all these initiatives are already in motion within the Union. Moreover, the MUT has already commenced the process for revision of the Reform Agreement.
A serious and responsible Union cannot introduce change overnight. Best practices are matured over time and through measured initiatives that lay the pace for further development. The MUT has already done its fieldwork as regards the approval of collective agreements by members. The ITS Collective Agreement is a case in point - here the MUT submitted the final consideration for the vote of the staff concerned. The Union wanted to test case this practice within the confines of an establishment with a particular staff structure which warranted such an approach. At MCAST, the MUT has relied on the expertise of Institute Delegates to first draft a Collective Agreement which embraces the particularities inherent in the various institutes of this establishment. The Union is also keeping close contact with Institute Delegates at each stage of the Collective Agreement process. The wide acceptance of Collective Agreements is a desired end which can be attained through a measured process that ensures the best outcome possible whilst avoiding unwarranted pitfalls and divisive dissensions.
In the last few years, the MUT has gone a long way in modernizing its day-to-day business whilst at the same time being closer to all categories of educators. The MUT is committed to further improve the working conditions and financial package of all educators. This cannot be achieved if at the helm of the MUT the combination of experienced trade-unionists is not coupled to the dynamism, energy and creativity of the younger generation. It is only in this way that educators can expect continuity as well as further development of the MUT. The MUT is already well geared for the future – after all the future is now!

John Bencini is MUT president