UG disappointed in unions’ industrial action
UG Vice Chancellor Ivelaw Griffith
UG Vice Chancellor Ivelaw Griffith

-pay hike up for discussion at Council meeting

THE University of Guyana (UG) Council is slated to discuss the issue of salary increase and other demands made by the unions at its upcoming meeting on March 30.

The University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU) have demanded that they be called to the negotiating table, instead of the administration imposing a 12 to 15 percent increase in salaries.

But the UG in a statement on Friday noted that the administration has been meeting in good faith with the union executives for several months to end the cycle of conflict and dysfunction that has plagued the institution and has now found it “disappointing to see that the unions have resorted to industrial action while efforts are being made to resolve outstanding matters.”

At a Town Hall meeting on March 20 at the Turkeyen Campus, Vice-Chancellor, Ivelaw Griffith had made it clear to the union leaders that in the absence of a decision by the University Council, it would be irresponsible of him to name a percentage salary increase, especially since one has to consider the source of the funds to pay the increase.

“The matter of salaries will be part of the 2017 revised budget, which will be one of three critical items the Vice-Chancellor will be placing on the agenda of the special UG Council meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 30, 2017. The revised budget, and the two other items—the creation of the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation and the establishment of a new campus—were the subject of a campus consultation on March 15,” the statement from UG noted.

The University claimed that the Academic Board, the leaders of the unions and the leaders of the UGSS were all invited to the consultation but the leaders of the unions chose to boycott it.

Professor Griffith had told Guyana Chronicle that there are several critical items on the Council’s agenda aimed at addressing some of the long standing insufficiencies plaguing faculty, staff and students. This includes a multi-year pay hike for faculty and staff beginning 2017.

“The fact of the matter is that UG has been unable to attract and the desired complement of qualified staff because of salaries that are not competitive. The staff deserves better and the students deserve better.  We have to do something about that and we have to do something now,” Professor Griffith had said.

According to him, hard realities to be faced and tough decisions will have to be made in order to get the University to where it should be. “If we don’t face it, we can’t fix it. I am in the business of facing and fixing. I have been here for only 8 months and there is a lot of that to do. We have to keep focused on the work to benefit our students and our staff.”

According to the University, there is copious evidence of the administration’s responsiveness to the concerns of staff, pointing out that in November 2016, the employment of seven individuals from the UG Printery/Bookstore was regularised by offering them permanent contracts; in January 2017, three persons from the group of casual employees were appointed Tradesmen in the Facilities Maintenance Department; and in February, 20 casual employees were given contracts for one year and placed on the monthly payroll.

“It is also noteworthy that the University grants millions of dollars of educational waivers annually— where employees studying for diplomas and degrees pay no tuition fees. This list of benefits does not include the improvements in the facilities that have begun under the Tenth Vice-Chancellor,” the statement noted.

The University said it is committed to improving the salaries and working conditions at the university and to enhancing the quality of staff performance to deliver quality educational services to students.

 

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