University of Guyana staffers rejected Vice Chancellor Jacob Opadeyi’s offer of a five per cent pay increase yesterday, after a morning of negotiations between the university and UG Workers Union.
The university was deserted yesterday, save for a few students walking aimlessly about the campus as talks between the parties continued in the Education and Humanities Lecture Theatre. On the East Coast Demerara Railway Embankment, in front of the access road leading to the university, a banner hangs on a pole. “Respect our education# UG Revolution”, it says.
UGWU President Bruce Haynes said the talks began around 10 am and ended after lunch. He said there was a preliminary meeting but nothing much came out of it.
It was during negotiations, he said, that Opadeyi made a presentation, offering a 5% salary increase for 2015, 10% for 2016 and another 10% for 2017.
Haynes said workers were dissatisfied with his offer and chose to continue with their sit-in until they gain a substantial increase. “The staff said it was not enough incentive to make them return to work,” Haynes stated.
Students and staff of the university on Tuesday blocked the entrances of the campus in an escalation of protests since the start of the semester. The staff are fighting for increases in salaries and allowances, while students are backing them and voicing their grievances at the deplorable state of the campus.
Haynes said further negotiation is set for tomorrow and staff are prepared to return to duty on Monday but only if the university agrees to their terms. He said the workers are demanding nothing less than a 20% increase across the board.
“We will work with that even if it’s a multi-year agreement,” he said, noting that they are also asking for an increase in travel allowances.
He added that workers were willing to take further steps if their demands were not met, arguing that they refuse to have their rights infringed upon.
