Opadeyi to UG workers: Back to work or no negotiations

By Jomo Paul

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana Professor Jacob Opadeyi has suspended all talks between the administration and unions until workers return to their posts.

Opadeyi in a letter to the unions made it clear that UG’s last offer has been rescinded and the administration will not be holding talks until the workers resume their jobs.

“For the negotiation to continue all workers must be back to work and classes are to be conducted as scheduled. We urge the workers of the University to resume duty without delay so as to pave the way for a genuine negotiation aimed to address their concerns,” the Vice Chancellors said in the letter.

But, according to a joint release from the University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU) and the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA), the move by the Vice Chancellor has taken them by shock.

“How then could the University’s team be ‘under the impression’ that the industrial actions had ended? The Unions are prepared to meet and continue the negotiations but AGAIN, the University has cancelled it. The VC is clearly not committed to ending this crisis and educating our students.” said the release.

The unions had rejected the last salary increase and have since submitted a counter proposal. The two sides were supposed to meet on Friday, February 06 with the student body as a mediator for negotiations on a salary increase.

Consequent to this, an emergency meeting has been scheduled for the George Walcott Lecture Theater (GWLT) at UG this morning. However the union said that it has been informed that efforts are being made to lock out employees.

If this is done the meeting will be held at the gates of UG. Only on Thursday UG workers converged on the Office of the President calling for better salaries and working conditions.