UTech staff union appeals for students' understanding

The University of Technology, Jamaica Academic Staff Union (UTASU) is advising students that every effort is being made to get a speedy resolution in the salary dispute with the university and is asking them for their understanding.

The core of the disagreement is centred around the University of Technology, Jamaica’s failure to pay over outstanding funds to academic staff in a near-decade-long salary dispute.

Workers received the first tranche of back pay in July and expected payouts to be made in two other phases – October 2019 and April-May 2020.

The staff took weeklong industrial action beginning April 30 this year to get a resolution to Item 41 of the heads of agreement of 2015-2017.

The Ministry of Finance has since indicated that it is unable to provide any additional funding to make the payments.

This morning, upset students staged a demonstration outside the Ministry of Education to get its intervention in the impasse. 

In a letter, UTASU said while it understands the anxiety being felt by students, academic staff were forced to take necessary action to press their case “in the face of extreme provocation”.

The union says the academic staff are committing to ensuring that students are fully prepared for the completion of their studies for the semester in the time allotted by the university.

It is encouraging students to use the unplanned break to complete projects and assignments.

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