THE University of Guyana Senior Staff Association and the University of Guyana Worker’s Union have refuted statements by the university’s administration that they had been meeting in good faith for several months.
In a statement on Sunday, the unions contended that there were three bilateral meetings with the administration over the period November 2016 to February 2017 – none of which bore substantial fruit.
It was pointed out that after agreeing to meet on February 27 to initiate negotiations, Vice-Chancellor, Dr Ivelaw Griffith, said the meeting was not intended for that purpose.
“The unions sent a full delegation to this meeting, only to be told by the vice- chancellor that it was not a negotiation meeting. Professor Griffith said that he did not wish to negotiate at this stage, because he would not be able to make a substantial offer to staff,” the unions recalled.
They said at no time did the vice-chancellor say that he was unable to negotiate because of rules forbidding him from doing so.
“The unions met with the staff and it was the staff who declared that they would be interested in any offer that the administration wished to make – and said that they wished to have negotiations begin immediately,” the unions stated.
During that meeting, the staff had also expressed concern about the state of the sewerage system on campus – a matter that was subsequently addressed.
However, the issue of salaries had remained unattended. They noted too that the March 20 Town Hall meeting was organised after the unions had indicated that since their demands were not met, industrial action would go ahead – an action which the vice-chancellor argued against.
“The vice-chancellor’s recent assertion that he needs to have the budget approved before he can negotiate demonstrates that he perhaps does not understand what is involved in the process. If Council approves a budget with a certain percentage for staff, there is no truly meaningful negotiation thereafter. The negotiation can only occur while the budget is still under revision, and priorities are being considered,” the unions maintained.
It was explained that the industrial action was taken to force the administration to include the interest of the staff in the document that will be taken to the Council meeting on March 30.
“The unions’ position is that the Government of Guyana increased its subvention to the University of Guyana by at least 46 per cent. However, the vice-chancellor has indicated that increases in salaries for staff depend on increases in tuition fees. We reject this linkage and are adamant that based on the increased subvention, the university has sufficient funds to offer a decent percentage increase to staff.”
They added: “The vice-chancellor publicly touts the notion of a unified university with minimal antagonisms. In reality, the vice-chancellor expects no challenge or questions, which demonstrates disrespect for staff and their bargaining units.”
The University of Guyana Senior Staff Association and the University of Guyana Workers Union are maintaining that the recent conduct of the administration; its failure to engage the unions when the budget was being prepared; its great reluctance to share agendas for meetings; the attempt to pit staff against students; and most dangerous of all, the absolute refusal to allow persons space to speak does not bode well for unity or good industrial relations at the University of Guyana.