There appears to be no immediate end is in sight to the strike action at the University of Guyana (UG) with indications that it will continue beyond the planned three days in the absence of intervention from the government, particularly President Donald Ramotar.
Some 95% of workers at the Turkeyen Campus on Monday escalated the industrial action from a ‘sit in’ to a full blown strike and expressed hopes of an intervention from the administration within three days.
When contacted on Wednesday by News Source, Head of the UG Senior Staff Association (UGSS) Dr. Melissa Ifill said the unions are yet to receive an official invitation from the President.
Dr. Ifill was not very optimistic either that any meeting with the President was forthcoming and said the strike will continue until their concerns of salary increases and improved teaching and learning environment were addressed.
She confirmed that a letter was written and delivered to the Office of the President on Monday last, requesting his urgent intervention in the crisis.
There has been no response to that letter and Dr. Ifill could not say if it had reached the Head of State.
A letter was also penned and sent to the Minister of Labour Dr. Nanda Gopaul noting the breakdown of talks and requesting the Ministry’s intervention in resolving the crisis. There has no response to this end either.
UG’s Student Society (UGSS) has given its support to staffers and said yesterday that it was not impressed with how their concerns in relations to the university’s aesthetics were being addressed.
The student body opined that recent efforts by UG’s administration in this regard were cosmetic.
The unions have indicated that the Tain Campus went on strike as of Tuesday and is expected to continue today with 90% of staff their heeding the call.
The unions noted that although Vice Chancellor, Professor Jacob Opadeyi suggests that the situation is returning to normalcy the overwhelming majority of classes were not being held.
Staffers who continue to work are being asked to join the strike.
Filed: 11th February, 2015
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