KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The West Indies Group of College Academics (WIGUT) Friday stated that its members on the Mona campus of the College of the West Indies (UWI) are ready to embark upon industrial motion from Monday over a proposed discount within the well being and pension advantages for brand new employees members.
WIGUT president, Professor Paul Brown, stated the College’s resolution was made unilaterally, with out negotiations with the unions representing employees on the campus.
“The council resolution was taken unilaterally and within the absence of a negotiated settlement with any of the unions working on the campus,” WIGUT stated, noting that whereas the reductions ought to solely have an effect on new employees members beginning on August 1, 2025, there are issues relating to long-serving employees who might change deployment late this 12 months,
WIGUT acknowledged that it will instantly droop the commercial motion as soon as a written assertion is issued by the College confirming that it’s placing the discount on maintain.
“The campus and the College have determined that they should get some funds so as, and a part of that has to do with the well being advantages and post-employment advantages to retirees. They’ve determined that new workers will now pay 50 p.c of their premium, and that was 20 p.c,” Browne stated, including that these members, upon retiring, must pay 100% of their premium.
“There are guidelines that govern what the employer needs to be doing so far as well being and pension advantages, and if there’s going to be any adjustments, then there’s room for negotiations. With out negotiations, it implies that they’d have applied a unilateral resolution, and that’s an affront to any union that represents employees in any trade and area.”
The UWWI has to this point not but responded to WGUT, which has stated that “till such an announcement is acquired, a discover of business motion by WIGUT (Jamaica) at The College of the West Indies in Jamaica starting Monday 2nd June 2025, stays in place”.
Brown stated that WIGUT has knowledgeable the College that the brand new proposals can’t be applied with out negotiations.
“It’s extremely vires to the foundations that govern the employees which might be coming in. They need to argue that we don’t signify employees that haven’t joined, however each employees that is available in will get the foundations of engagement, which is one thing that’s negotiated between the unions and the College,” he added.
