UWI lecturers issue protest threat as they demand interim pay increases

Academic and senior administrative staff at the University of the West Indies, Mona, are threatening protest action as they press the Government to institute interim pay increases while a compensation review takes place.

The staff issued the mandate to their union to apply pressure to the university and the Government at an Emergency General Meeting of the West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) on Thursday.

They noted that UWI employees were the only major group of public sector workers not to benefit from the increases paid to public sector workers as part of the Government's compensation reform.

The UWI and the finance ministry are reportedly finalising the engagement of an international consulting firm to carry out the compensation review for employees at the institution. The report is anticipated in May 2024.

However, WIGUT-represented staff are concerned that it will be several months after that before any negotiated agreement based on that report will be concluded.

"They are concerned that compensation reform will come too late: too late to retain staff planning to leave because of poor pay and soaring cost of living; too late to attract high-quality staff to fill vacancies in the coming academic year," a statement from WIGUT said.

"WIGUT members have demanded an immediate interim financial relief package involving significant salary increases payable no later than the end of February 2024. Consequently, the members have indicated their readiness, when called upon, to carry out a series of protest actions," it continued.

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