THE UST Faculty Union’s (USTFU) decision to file a notice of strike over unresolved issues concerning teachers’ salaries and benefits has gained the support of senatorial bets who called on the education sector to fight for workers’ right to decent compensation.
Labor leader Leody de Guzman called on Thomasians to side with their teachers in the dispute with the UST administration over salary hikes and benefits, saying their education should help them uncover what he called a “rotten system” in the University.
In a separate statement, Makabayan senatorial candidate and ACT Teachers partylist Rep. France Castro said the impasse depicts the broader education crisis where teachers’ role in nation-building is “undervalued.”
“Hindi dapat maging hadlang ang inyong (Thomasians) academics sa inyong pagtuklas at pagkamulat sa kalupitan ng sistemang kapitalismo bagkus gamitin ang inyong pag-aaral para lubusang mahubaran ng pretensyon ang sistemang bulok,” de Guzman said.
(Your academics should not curtail your discovery and awareness of the cruelty of capitalism, instead use it to fully uncover the facade of a rotten system.)
Among the USTFU’s key proposals that remain unresolved are the P26 million allocation for senior high school and rank upgrades for tertiary teachers to be sourced from UST’s other streams of income. The faculty union also lobbied for the release of 89% or P220 million of its tuition hike proceeds.
It also demanded a full hospitalization benefit, which it said is only being enjoyed by UST Hospital employees. According to the union, the management’s offer of an additional P50,000 to its current P100,000 for general medical coverage and P200,000 for critical illness “falls below industry standards.”
Castro said granting the USTFU’s request would not only provide medical assistance but also recognize “the dignity and welfare of those who dedicate their lives to education.”
“Ang pagtutol ng mga guro sa UST sa kakarampot na inaalok ng administrasyon ay isang makatarungang hakbang na dapat suportahan ng buong sektor ng edukasyon,” she added.
(The resistance of the UST faculty to the offers of the [University] administration is a commendable step that must be supported by the entire education sector.)
Despite an impasse in negotiations, UST said it recognizes its faculty members as its “most vital resource. According to the University, it adopted a balanced approach in its commitment to distribute the tuition hike shares and provided it’d academic staff additional benefits “beyond legal mandates.”
De Guzman, the president of political party Partido Lakas ng Masa, said it is only fair that UST teachers receive their “just share” of tuition increases as a result of their hard work.
“Ang mga guro, mga manggagawa, ang bumubuhay sa UST. Pero sa halip na kilalanin ang kanilang mahalagang papel sa paaralan sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng nakabubuhay at may dignidad na sahod at benepisyo, tila dine-deny pa ng administrasyon ang nararapat para sa kanila,” he said.
(Teachers, workers, are the lifeblood of UST. But instead of recognizing their important role in the school by providing living and dignified wages and benefits, it seems that the administration is denying them what they deserve.)
In a frequently asked questions sheet, the University affirmed that it invests in its people and strives for skill development among its stakeholders, citing initiatives such as research grants, graduate studies and “competitive” compensation.
The labor department’s mediation board has 30 days to bridge an agreement between USTFU and the administration. If unsuccessful, the union would hold a strike vote on April 24 and stage its earliest strike on May 2, according to its tentative timeline of events. F — Veancy Palad
