Teachers at Mcast to strike after talks fail

Updated at 4.30pm with Mcast reaction Weeks of talks and threats of industrial action have led nowhere in the stalemate at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, with the Malta Union of Teachers issuing a frustrated statement on Friday saying teachers would now go ahead with a strike. Read: Mcast teachers' strike called off "Following intensive meetings between the MUT, the Mcast management and the Industrial Relations Unit (IRU), it is clear that there is no willingness from the IRU to reach an agreement on how to give lecturers what they are due. This agreement expired more than a year ago and after long negotiations during this period, the IRU are using delaying tactics to stall negotiations in spite of reconciliation meetings," it said. The union has issued fresh directives to teachers, which will come into force on Monday January 22,  with a strike to be held between 10am and 12pm for Thursday January 25 and Friday January 26. Mcast 'indignant' Mcast reacted to news of the strike with ‘indignation and disappointment’, insisting that significant progress had been reached in the negotiations and that another meeting was scheduled for next Tuesday in agreement from...