The union representing lecturers and academic staff at the University of the West Indies St Augustine campus, has begun pulling back their services over stalled wage negotiations.
President of the West Indies Group University Teachers (WIGUT), Dr Indira Rampersad, said they are fed up with inaction on their salary negotiations, which is affecting some 800 staff members.
Dr Rampersad, in a GML interview, said WIGUT members have not had an increase in salary since 2014.
She said they were told that the campus senior management had submitted the proposal and has also written to Chief Personnel Officer Dr Daryl Dindial. However, the management has not received any responses up to this point, Rampersad said.
“They did assure us that they did submit and that they have been following. The members told us it was not robust enough. We have a new principal and she assured us that she’s been doing what she has to do. But we have not received a remit, which is an offer,” Dr Rampersad said.
Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine has assured them that a remit will be made.
However, Dr Rampersad said: “The salaries are paid by the Government and the Chief Personal Officer is the one in charge of providing that remit. So, it’s a peculiar situation because the senior management members are also members of WIGUT. But it has worked in the past.”
Dr Rampersad told the media house unless an offer is put on the table, then the frustrations of the staff will be felt in the classrooms.
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