Devant: UTT lecturers scared to be put on ‘hit list’

FORMER minister Devant Maharaj says lecturers at the University of TT (UTT) are scared to support their fellow lecturers who were fired because they may put on a “hit list” and face firing themselves.

He was speaking with Newsday yesterday in a telephone interview after six fired lecturers protested outside the UTT Valsayn Campus during a meeting between UTT president Sarim Al-Zubaidy and staff about the university’s restructuring exercise. According to Education Minister Anthony Garcia UTT plans to dismiss 59 academic staff, of whom 57 have already received dismissal letters, and 287 non-academic staff.

Maharaj is representing the lecturers under the Sanctuary Trade Union. He said the staff came out to protest because they were never afforded the courtesy of being briefed before being fired, and had written a letter dated May 17 to Al-Zubaidy asking him to meet with the union.

“They still remain in dark as to what exact specific criteria were used for each lecturer as to why they were fired.”

Maharaj said to date there had been no response to the letter, though the university had e-mailed the lecturers saying if they had any papers and marks to send in for students, they could do so.

He said during the protest some lecturers came out and offered solidarity with their struggle.

“Others say they scared and wary that they would be victimised and be on a hit list. It appears there is no rhyme or reason with the firings.”

He said the UTT president drove past the protesting lecturers and did not have the humanity to stop, come out and treat with them.

He also reported his union was getting applications on a daily basis from lecturers.

Of the fired lecturers, Maharaj said some do not want to return to UTT after being treated “like a stray dog in Venezuela,” but want to find out the rationale and thinking that led to their dismissal. He said in their view it was arbitrary, capricious, harsh and oppressive.

They were also scared their severance pay would be held back and not distributed in a timely manner after the very callous and insensitive way they were dismissed, he said.

In the Senate on Tuesday Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus said UTT officials told her academic staff was not legally deemed “workers” whose retrenchment would require reporting.

On assisting the employees, she said through the National Employment Service, employers register with the ministry and unemployed or retrenched people were invited to register also.

Maharaj said the minister may have spoken out of turn by saying the academic staff were not deemed workers, as that would have to be decided by the Registration Recognition and Certification Board.

He claimed she may have compromised the board and contaminated the process.

He said his union was awaiting the Labour Ministry’s response to trade disputes lodged with it on the issue.

He added the lecturers have received support from the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union, which is representing the fired non-academic staff, as well as other trade unions.

“A lot of the trade unions are behind the plight of the lecturers,” he said.