UWI students guild disappointed by ongoing WIGUT strike

PRESIDENT of the students guild at the University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Aishwarya Maharaj says she is “profoundly disappointed” by the ongoing West Indian Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) strike.

The union has been protesting against the university's latest offer of a two per cent wage increase during ongoing negotiations for the period 2014-2017.

WIGUT had described the offer as unacceptable and, last week, directed its members to withhold papers for upcoming end-of-term exams until further notice.

The deadline for submission of the papers was last Friday. Exams are scheduled for December.

In a WhatsApp conversation with Newsday, Maharaj said she was concerned that students were being used as collateral in the wage dispute.

"This places us at an unjust disadvantage, hindering our ability to fulfil our primary mandate, pursuing our education."

Maharaj said the guild had participated in two meetings with WIGUT to seek a compromise and mitigate against the impact on students.

"Regrettably, these efforts proved futile as WIGUT persisted with their actions, exacerbating the adverse effects on students." Despite this, Maharaj said she empathised with WIGUT's challenges.

"The Guild of Students firmly asserts that students should not be leveraged in broader discussions. We demand a swift resolution to this issue, which has persisted for an unacceptable duration."

Maharaj called for members to support each other and underscored the importance of solidarity.

She hoped all parties involved could reach a speedy resolution with minimal disruption to the student body. She said the guild remained steadfast in advocating for its members' best interests.

"We will continue to voice our dissatisfaction with the current actions and their detrimental effects on students."

Newsday also spoke to a third-year psychology student at the campus who wanted to remain anonymous. That student, however, endorsed WIGUT's protest.

“Lecturers really work hard. They are literally shaping the future leaders of this country. So why wouldn’t you want to ensure they are taken care of?”

The student, however, did feel students were being used as bargaining tools.

During a phone interview on Monday, WIGUT president Dr Indera Rampersad told Newday the group had, as yet, made no progress in its salary negotiations and had given the government a 14-day ultimatum to revise its two per cent wage increase offer.

She said if the proposal was not changed to a more favourable offer, WIGUT's members would regroup and "restrategise" their demonstration efforts.

Rampersad said members were prepared to submit exam papers once they had received a "reasonable" offer.

WIGUT had previously called the two per cent wage increase offer "insulting" and instructed its members to engage in a complete withdrawal of enthusiasm, including non-submission of final exam papers, shutting down campus activities, non-attendance at meetings and boycotting events, including graduation.

The wage negotiations follow last year's announcement of a ten per cent reduction in government funding for the St Augustine campus, which has further strained relations between the lecturers and the authorities.