UPDATE: UTech, Jamaica Strike Continues 31-October-2019
Hi Friends,
So as it began in February 2019, which inspired this petition (we remain grateful for your support), so it continues now in October, 2019....staff on strike i.e. our Academic Staff and Students protesting in response to our Government of Jamaica's mishandling of our University's grave issues.
RECAP
- February 2019, Students Union and all 3 Staff Unions united in an unprecedented show of UNITY, to protest the underfunding of UTech, Jamaica by our Government of Jamaica. The request by Management for an increase of subvention by approx $5B from Government, not supported
- Academic Staff have been owed a salary adjustment upward as well as retroactive pay. The matter is outstanding since 2010. In approx 2015-2017 a Heads of Agreement was signed by the Academic Union, Management, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance and Planning, to guarantee the Academic Staff the compensation. Management and Government did not follow through with payments to the lecturers. 9 years and counting issue.
- Academic Staff, beyond February 2019, continued their industrial actions on and off, on their own. Several meetings held with Academic Union, Management and Government. No follow through...till finally in May 2019, an offer was made by the GOJ and Management.
- Based on the offer made to the Academic Staff, they were promised by Management, the salary adjustment. This they received in July 2019. In addition, they were promised that the retroactive payments were to be given in 3 instalments...July and October 2019 and May 2020.
- The 1st instalment was duly paid in July 2019.
- The 2nd Instalment of October 2019 has not been paid. The Academic Union states that it wrote to the Management of the University in September 2019 to remind of the payment due October 2019. No notice was given by Management that the payment would not be made. Hence the Lecturer strike resumed last Thursday October 24, 2019.
- This week, another meeting was held with Academic Union, Ministry of Education Youth and Information, Ministry of Finance and Planning and Management to discuss the issue. The Ministry of Education Youth and Infomation promised to discuss the matter further with the Ministry of Finance and Planning and provide a timely update. Apparently, the timely update was given yesterday October 30th, 2019.
- The Alleged Update includes "After discussion and careful assessment of the Ministry's financial position and current obligations for the remainder of the financial year 2019-2020, the Ministry is unable to provide any additional funding support to UTech at this time. The Ministry is mindful of the current position of the institution and as such, will continue to assess our current budgetary position, and if any resources become available during the financial year we will consider providing a contribution towards the grant allocation for the institution in order to assist in meeting your current operational expenses" - excerpt from "Update to UTASU Members - Withdrawal of Service Continues"
- The Students Union has asked persons concerned with the mistreatment of UTech, Jamaica by our Government to join in solidarity by wearing black today Thursday, October 31, 2019. They have also gathered for protest at the offices of the Ministry of Education Youth and Information.
CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR DETAILS!
Thanks for your support of our national University, the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Jamaica).
We crave your continued vigilance and monitoring of how our government treats this 60+ year old institution.
~Cheryll Messam
cheryllrm@yahoo.com
*Our petition began on March 9th, 2019 and was submitted to the Government of Jamaica on April 4, 2019.
* To date 17,790 of us worldwide have united in support of #moresubvention4utechja.
*We welcome your continued sharing of the petition while this remains an outstanding matter.
*We welcome your prayers while this remains an outstanding matter.
* Our struggle continues...