UWI lecturers, admin workers stage 'solidarity demonstration' over salary issues

Dozens of lecturers and senior administrators at The University of the West Indies, Mona this morning staged a 'solidarity demonstration' at the campus to press their demands for an interim wage increase.

They want an interim adjustment of 25% pending the settlement of a new compensation agreement.

The educators are hoping to see an increase of 60 per cent in their salaries.

“We would need a 60 per cent increase in salary to put us on par with our colleagues on the Cave Hill Campus of UWI in Barbados. These are colleagues doing the same work as us, in the same institution as us, and with the same qualifications as us. The buying power of what we are being paid has fallen steeply over the past 10-20 years,” said a newsletter from the negotiations committee of the West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT).

Should the network of educators not be given an offer they are in favour of, they warned that they could not assure full operation of the island's top tertiary-level institution.

The educators also indicated that many of the best and brightest teachers, researchers, and others had been recruited overseas, and “when good people leave”, the vacancies created are hard to fill.

“The university advertises the vacant posts internationally. Overseas-based applicants are interested until they hear what they will earn. The university never hears from them again. We fear that the steady outflow of high-quality staff will become a flood. You as students will most certainly be affected,” the newsletter stated.

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