UTECH UNION AND MANAGEMENT AT ODDS OVER DELAYED OUTSTANDING PAYMENTS

The University of Technology Academic Staff Union and UTECH’s management are at odds over delayed outstanding retroactive payments for the 2018/2019 financial year.

This was disclosed recently in an open letter from the union’s President, Lebert Langley to Utech’s President, Stephen Vasciannie

In the letter dated October 22, 2019, Langley notes that, ” the executive committee of the University of Technology, Jamaica Academic Staff Union (UTASU)…has instructed its members with immediate effect to cease all work related activities and assignments until the university’s management implements the agreed outstanding retroactive payments for financial year 2018/2019.

He goes further to note that, ‘this follows the failure of the university’s management to honour proposals for the implementation of the agreement, outlined in letter dated May 15 2019 and accepted by UTASU on May 17, 2019, extending the proposed payment date from the end of September to the end of October 2019.”

This is the second time this year that the educators have taken this action.

In response to the May 2019 protest., Vasciannie had responded via a letter. In that letter,  he explained that the ability of the University to make the payments was dependent on the Government. He says if the University receives the payments contemplated, the university is committed to pay the relevant sums over to the academic staff within one month of receipt.

On Friday, several classes were suspended due to absent of lecturers. Students are hoping that the matter will be soon rectified between the school’s management and the union.

KHADIJAH THOMAS