Guild urges UWI students: Don’t boycott classes in wage dispute

THE UWI Guild of Students, St Augustine, has urged its members not to boycott classes as the new semester begins on January 20, despite the ongoing protest by the West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) and the withholding of over 20,000 grades.

However, Newsday understands staff have released some grades.

UWI staff salaries are primarily funded by contributions from regional governments, including Trinidad and Tobago's, which cover the university's operational costs.

While UWI manages staff contracts and negotiates directly with unions, salary adjustments often require government approval or increased funding, as governments provide the institution's core financial support.

Unions negotiate salary increases with UWI management. UWI, in turn, consults with contributing governments to secure the necessary funds.

Josef Paty, president of the guild, told Newsday on January 18 that the guild wants to ensure students do not fall behind in their studies while negotiations between WIGUT and the university administration continue.

He said it was crucial students stay engaged academically.

The negotiations are "out of our control, so we are encouraging students to still go to their classes because teaching is ongoing,” he said, even though they would have been unable to register.

The two parties met on January 16 in what lecturer Dr Indira Rampersad, WIGUT president, described as an “extremely amicable” meeting.

However, Paty said it was unsuccessful.

It is unclear how many students are affected.

“The goal was to leave that meeting with grades being uploaded to the system,” he said. “That, of course, did not happen.
"It was a very long meeting. We wanted to understand the issue at its core, why they’re doing what they’re doing; what’s the process and what’s causing the delay.

“While we appreciate that discussions are ongoing, it is imperative that students’ needs remain central to the process.”

Rampersad said protests would continue until the government responds appropriately.

WIGUT’s protest stems from a lack of salary increases for over ten years, reportedly making St Augustine campus staff among the lowest-paid across the four UWI campuses.

The union is seeking a total wage increase of 24 per cent over the period from 2014-2016, structured as eight per cent per year.

In November, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said WIGUT's request for a 24 per cent increase, with $701 million in back pay, was unsustainable, as it would place a significant burden on taxpayers.

“I do not think it is prudent to impose a burden of $701 million on the taxpayers of TT,” Imbert said in Parliament, noting that a four per cent increase for public servants had cost $79 million in back pay.

Imbert addressed the ongoing impasse between the government and WIGUT in response to a query from Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh. WIGUT rejected the government’s proposal of 0-0-2 per cent for  2015-2017.
The union subsequently held a "blackout Friday" protest, threatening a "complete shutdown" of UWI's campus, to push for a resolution.

While Paty expressed sympathy for the lecturers’ plight, he said the guild could not support protest actions that leave students at a disadvantage.

"We understand the lecturers’ position – they are the drivers of academic representation in the region and deserve a suitable wage," Paty said.

"But the withholding of grades is unreasonable. Students are paying for their education, and the service must be upheld."

The withholding of grades has caused significant disruptions. Some students cannot register for courses requiring prerequisite grades, potentially disrupting their academic progress.

The protest means several services remain unavailable, including the library, which Paty described as “unacceptable,” as they were advertised as UWI’s facilities and paid for by students.

"This is an entire year of being held back," Paty said. "Some courses are only offered in specific semesters, so it’s not like if I didn’t get to register for the course this semester, I could do it next semester."

To mitigate the impact, the guild proposed interim solutions, including waiving late registration fees, facilitating communication with the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (GATE) programme to prevent holds on accounts, and issuing letters to financial sponsors explaining the situation.

These proposals were received by the campus’s academic board, which is set to meet on January 23.

He said the students must not be disadvantaged by skipping classes, and will consider taking appropriate action if the grades are not released.

"We are advocating for a reasonable settlement to be processed swiftly. If push comes to shove and we don’t receive our grades in a timely manner, the students themselves will also voice their concerns through protest."

He called the situation a wake-up call for all stakeholders.

"This is not the UWI administration's fault – they do not control lecturers’ salaries."

However, he added, “I think people underestimate the power of a student voice, and I'm glad to see that within this space, even though we don't want this to be the situation, students are raising their concerns.”

He said the guild would continue to advocate for its members’ well-being and ensure the student body is not left behind in this process.

Messages and calls to Rampersad and campus principal Prof Rose-Marie Belle Antoine were not answered.