As the student wing of Moviment Graffitti, we are stating our support for the University of Malta’s technical and administrative staff as they follow the directives issued by UĦM, which commenced on Monday 5th January.
Whilst we are aware that these actions have come at a sensitive time for students and we too are being affected by them, we recognise that these actions are a final and urgent effort from the university staff to obtain a collective agreement which they have been owed since December 2021.
The focus of criticism should not be on the workers and the union who are rightfully taking the necessary action to stand up for their rights, but on the University and the Ministry of Education who have continuously delayed the process of reaching a fair agreement for the workers who keep up with the day to day running of the University.
As a result of the University’s prolongation of the process, both the students’ and staff’s interests have been disregarded. A University administration looking out for its students’ interests should be standing alongside its workers to ensure they have the tools necessary to maintain its smooth operation, not delaying the signing of an important collective agreement that has now resulted in disruptions to our education.
In light of the current economic climate of inflation and stagnating wages, we emphasise the urgency of this industrial action and will stand behind it until an agreement is reached.
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Studenti Graffitti Jappoġġjaw l-Azzjoni Industrijali mill-Istaff tal-Università
Bħala l-fergħa studenteska ta’ Moviment Graffitti, qed niddikjaraw l-appoġġ tagħna għall-istaff tekniku u amministrattiv tal-Università ta’ Malta li qed isegwu d-direttivi maħruġa mill-UĦM, li daħlu fis-seħħ it-Tnejn, 5 ta’ Jannar.
Filwaqt li aħna konxji li dawn l-azzjonijiet ġew fi żmien kemxejn sensittiv għall-istudenti, u li aħna wkoll qed niġu affettwati minnhom, nagħrfu li dawn l-azzjonijiet huma l-aħħar tentattiv b’urġenza min-naħa tal-istaff tal-Università biex jiksbu ftehim kollettiv li suppost kellu jintlaħaq sa minn Diċembru tal-2021.
Il-kritika m’għandhiex tiffoka fuq il-ħaddiema u l-unjoni li ġustament qed jieħdu l-azzjoni neċessarja biex jaqbżu għad-drittijiet tagħhom, iżda fuq l-Università u l-Ministeru tal-Edukazzjoni li kontinwament baqgħu jipposponu l-proċess biex jintlaħaq ftehim ġust għal dawk li jżommu l-Università għaddejja.
Bħala riżultat tad-dewmien tal-proċess min-naħa tal-Università, l-interessi ta’ kemm l-istudenti kif ukoll tal-istaff ġew imwarrba. Jekk l-amministrazzjoni tal-Università trid verament tħares l-interessi tal-istudenti tagħha għandha timxi spalla ma’ spalla mal-ħaddiema tagħha biex tiżgura li għandhom l-għodda neċessarja biex iżommu t-tmexxija tal-Università għaddejja bla xkiel, u mhux tipposponi l-iffirmar ta’ ftehim kollettiv importanti li issa rriżulta fi tfixkil għall-edukazzjoni tagħna.
Fid-dawl tal-klima ekonomika attwali fejn qed nesperjenzaw l-inflazzjoni u pagi staġnati, nenfasizzaw l-urġenza ta’ din l-azzjoni industrijali u nuru l-appoġġ tagħna lejha sakemm jintlaħaq ftehim.
