UWI lecturers to withold exam papers to protest 2% salary offer

Rishard Khan

The West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) has rejected the government’s two per cent salary increase proposal and is threatening to withhold exam papers for the second time this year.

Speaking to principal Prof Rose-Marie Belle Antoine during a protest at the University of the West Indies’ (the UWI) St Augustine campus on Friday, WIGUT president Dr Indira Rampersad described the offer as “insulting” and “disgusting.”

“We can no longer live on 2014 salaries with escalating inflation and rising price of goods and services,” Dr Rampersad said. In a letter to members, Dr Rampersad instructed that for October, and until a satisfactory and reasonable offer is proposed, there will be a “complete withdrawal of enthusiasm.” This includes non-submission of final exam papers, the shutdown of activities at all campus facilities and centres including the library, non-attendance at meetings, and boycotting all events including graduation.

It advised the teaching staff to teach only.

Speaking to reporters at the protest, Dr Rampersad said the union hoped for a quick resolution so operations could return to normalcy at the institution.

“I hope, we all hope, all the members hope that we are going to get an expeditious (and) speedy resolution to this crisis. We consider it a crisis so that we can go back to normalcy.

“We want the best for the university, for the university students, but we cannot simply work under these terms and conditions.”

In an address to the protesting employees, Belle Antoine said she felt powerless because, while she knew the salaries were not sufficient and those at the St Augustine campus were the worst across the “UWIverse,” it was up to the government to fund any increases and back pay.

“There is no doubt in my mind that your cause is justified in terms of wanting to have better pay, better working conditions. “Our management, we continue to do as much as we can.

“I hope that we can get to a place where those that fund us, and we are funded by Caricom governments as you know, but in terms of this campus, of course, mainly the Trinidad and Tobago government is the prime one.

“Yes, we’ve said a two per cent offer but at this point, I am actually concerned that we’d be funded for any increase because I can say to you, the university on its own, this campus cannot fund any increase whatsoever or back pay.”

She said the financial situation at the campus was at a “very dangerous point” with numerous cutbacks in staff already being done.

“I think it is short-sighted at this point for Caricom to believe the university can continue with decreasing income and still maintain quality.”