| Diligent work spearheaded by the unions representing University of Guyana workers has commenced with a view of a document being prepared to carefully outline the financial status of the tertiary institution.The document, once completed, will be presented to a Parliamentary Special Select Committee for review, this publication understands.UGSSA President Dr Pat FrancisBut even as this is being undertaken, the unions tasked with representing the workers have been seeking the support of various stakeholders, including the Ministries of Finance and Education, as well as Vice Chancellor, Professor Jacob Opadeyi, who according to reports is currently outside of the jurisdiction. The unions’ lawyers are also said to be playing a vital role in helping to address the concerns.“The VC is one of our stakeholders, so we have to engage him on quality assurance, infrastructure among other things…so when he gets back, that is what we will talk about,” said President of the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA), Dr Pat Francis.Dr Francis said that while there is currently no amplified action to emphasise the concerns of the union,Brett Favre Falcons Jersey UK, much is being done in the background. She noted that the unions, including the UGSSA and the University of Guyana Workers’ Union, have on the front burner issues such as salaries, conditions of service that deal with remuneration. She also disclosed that “we are still awaiting the Council to be out in place”.The unions have been expressing concern ever since the life of the University’s Council came to an end on June 30 last. It was with unease, too, that the unions have observed the failure by the relevant authorities to appoint another Council, which it claims has had a negative impact on the functioning of the university.For instance, it was noted on several occasions that the UG Negotiating Team cannot be convened without at least two Council members; hence the recommencement of salary negotiations is dependent upon the appointment of the Council or the extension of the life of the old Council.Additionally, it was revealed that a recently scheduled Appointment Committee was cancelled as it needs Council members to be quorate. This means that new appointments and renewals and extensions of contracts are still to be completed.Moreover, the Unions remain concerned over the fact that the new academic year is scheduled to commence in a matter of weeks but there still is need to repeat an appeal for persons to be appointed to the Council.According to the Unions, the Council requires people who are competent and possess the necessary skill-sets to transform Guyana’s sole national University into an outstanding, creditable tertiary institution.However, although without a focal body in the form of the Council, Dr Francis said that the unions are preparing themselves for anticipated negotiations with the university within the next few weeks. And the financial situation of the university will certainly be high on the agenda.A meeting between the unions, workers and the VC saw the latter making a promise to ensure that workers are at least given their net salaries by the stipulated pay day which is the third Thursday of each month. However, Dr Francis said that while workers were in receipt of their net salaries on time this month “we still don’t know what is the position with the gross (salaries) and our deductions.” But according to her, “they (the University) have time to put themselves in order for next month.”It was in fact the failure on the part of the University to pay workers in a timely manner, coupled with the non-payment of necessary deductions, including NIS, Pensions and Credit Union dues, among other issues, that prompted the unions to stage a picketing exercise in early June.In response to the industrial action, which came along with a threat by the university workers to file a class action lawsuit, the VC had pledged to personally make representation to the Ministers of Education and Finance concerning the financial state of the institution. |
