Classes resume at UWI

NORMALCY returned to the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) yesterday, as the West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) ended industrial action and signed a new  three-year collective agreement with the campus administration. WIGUT members are expected to begin receiving 18 percent plus increases from the end of the month. The green light was given to the union yesterday to accept the new offer with enhanced allowances at a noon membership meeting at Room 101, Faculty of Engineering.

After the meeting, president Vishnudat Singh told reporters they were “authorised to sign the new agreement at 3.30 pm.” Apart from a 15 percent distribution of three, four and eight percent over the 2002 to 2005 period, and a three percent regional allowance in the third year, WIGUT members received enhanced allowances for book grants, travel and sabbatical leave. Additionally, heads of departments and their deputies have also gotten increased allowances.

Singh said they were assured that from the end of the month they will begin to receive the new salaries. He said the back-pay would be paid out no later than May. With 99 percent of the union’s members wearing red, Singh said instructions were given to return the campus to “operational normality.” He said all outstanding mark sheets would be handed in to administration, and staff would again be partaking in university meetings when they resume next week. He assured students that all efforts would be made to compensate them for the loss in classes over the last three days, and “make up” classes would be arranged by their respective lecturers. He stressed that the action undertaken by WIGUT, the “black and red days,” were not only “for our benefit, but for the students and the university.”

“We have to maintain the integrity of the institution and we will do everything to protect and continue to make it the quality institution that it has always been.” Singh and his executive expressed their gratitude to Colm Imbert, Minister of Tertiary Education, the administration, students and non-academic staff for “understanding.” WIGUT has been engaged in industrial action for the past two weeks. They heightened the action earlier this week by absenting themselves from classes for two and a half days, forcing students to stay at home. The union represents academic, senior administrative and professional staff.