Over a thousand Facebook subscribers have now endorsed the petition , “MUT & UMASA - Stop this Nonsense and give us our exam results!”, which was launched just four days ago to show disapproval at how the MUT and UMASA are handling the trade dispute with the university authorities.
The thousand member mark was the original target of the petition's proponents. Now that it has been reached, the petition was published together with a statement drafted by members of the online community, to the two unions, ministry of the education and student organisations.
The petition is unique in that it originated and was circulated on Facebook, partly an intelligent move and partly out of necessity as Anthony F Camilleri, creator of the Facebook group, told MaltaMedia.com, “The timing of the directive on the part of the unions - a Friday afternoon during the height of examination season - meant that traditional systems of organising would be less than effective. Due to the popularity of the tool amongst students, it served all the main criteria for a direction action movement: it allowed news to go out fast, it enabled students to get active even while studying for exams, and it allowed for a community to self-organise according to its own principles.”
On being asked about the validity of the thousand “signatures” vis-a-vis the immense number of fictitious profiles created on Facebook Camilleri admits that just like in any other petition you always risk having fake petitioners but on Facebook this risk is actually reduced. He said”Behind every name on the group there is an entire profile including friend networks, photos, activity histories and so on. Thus, it would not be as simple as putting down a fake signature - a fictitious profile requires the creation of an entire fictitious digital identity. While one can admit to the possibility of this happening, the likelihood and/or prevalence of it is enough to make it statistically insignificant.”
“I would hope that the number serve to convince the MUT & UMASA that however valid their claims, their tactics do nothing but harm to themselves and to students.” Camilleri continued
The petition is calling on the Malta Union of Teachers and the University of Malta Academic Staff Association to end their current trade dispute with the University of Malta as it is unfairly using students’ result to enhance leverage on their cause. Nevertheless, the petitioners expressed their solidarity with the the Academic Staff saying that they will continue to "support the right of Academic Staff to proper remuneration and
decent working conditions, and we find it unfortunate that the actions of their
representatives have forced us to unite our voices in defence of our own rights,
rather than in support of theirs."
The petition is also urging the Rector of the University, the Minister of Education and the Government to
open negotiations as soon as possible whilst demanding a non-revocable promise for
the timely release of examination results in return of such start.
For more views on this petition see Toni Sant’s Blog.
