WIGUT expects new offer by today

MEMBERS of the West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) have been assured that a new proposal will be forwarded to them before the end of the day. As such they are holding their hands on further industrial action. However, they are stressing that they will not accept the 15 percent offer for the three-year period 2002 to 2005, but are willing to consider a 20 percent increase, as originally proposed by the administration, instead of their demand of 30 percent. At a press conference yesterday in the Senior Common Room executive members of WIGUT, which represents academic, professional and senior administrative staff, said while they have returned to classes, they have been authorised by their members to “proceed with any action to have the negotiations settled.”

WIGUT president Vishnudat Singh said the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education (STTE) have assured them that by the end of the day a new proposal would be forwarded for consideration. He said the group had already discussed certain strategies, but would await the new proposal before embarking on any further action. He said both the “red and black days” were extremely successful. He said the group felt they had conveyed the message of their seriousness to the administration to have a reasonable and amicable settlement to negotiations. He said the 20 percent of classes held on Monday were conducted by teaching assistants, lab attendants and contract workers.

He explained that lecturers returned to work as an act of “good faith” because “we are concerned with the students’ welfare.” Singh noted that current industrial action was being taken “early in the semester,” and he felt assured that students would have time to recover. He said WIGUT was no longer demanding 30 percent, nor will they be satisfied with 16 percent, as was reported, but rather they will settle for 20 percent “to give parity with our Cave Hill colleagues.” He said the 20 percent offer was originally proposed by the administration at seven, seven and six percent over the period. Singh said yesterday he also received a letter, copied to Minister Colm Imbert, from Vice Chancellor E Nigel Harris expressing his (Harris) distress over the “unbending”positions by both parties in the negotiations. Singh said Harris was concerned about the effect of the actions on students and asked that a speedy resolution be found.