AS ITS teachers demand for internally sourced salary and benefit improvements, the UST administration pointed out that it went beyond the benefits required by law and allocated an additional P56 million as an act of “goodwill” for its faculty members.
In a frequently asked questions (FAQs) document released on March 25, the University said the amount was intended to improve funeral assistance, hazard pay, allowance and wellness program of the faculty. It added that the gesture went above the mandated allocation of the tuition hike share for the faculty.
“The University has chosen to go beyond the legal requirements set by R.A. (Republic Act) 6728, mandating the allocation of 70% TFI (tuition fee increase), which in this case, amounts to P246 million,” UST said in a Facebook post.
“As a gesture of goodwill, the University is providing an additional P56 million to further improve the overall compensation of the academic staff, in recognition of their contribution to the University’s mission of providing quality education.”
Under RA 6728, or the Government Assistance To Students and Teachers In Private Education Act, 70% of the tuition increases shall be allocated to the salaries, wages, allowances and other benefits of the school’s teaching and non-teaching staff, excluding administrators.
The University said the P56 million economic benefits, which will be sourced outside the 70% tuition increase share, will also include a one-time gratuity, goodwill bonus for full-time and part-time employees, one-time technology support and one-time hospitalization fund support.
Hours before the FAQs sheet was released, USTFU filed a notice of strike before the Department of Labor and Employment after a series of disagreements with the University administration over salary and benefits upgrades.
READ: UST faculty union files strike notice as impasse on benefits remains unresolved
The dispute stemmed from unresolved provisions of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), including the allocation of the remaining P26 million tuition hike share of the faculty.
USTFU called for the rank upgrades and senior high school salary restructuring to be sourced outside the tuition hike shares, a proposal that falls in conflict with UST’s bid to bankroll it from tuition increase collections.
Such a move, USTFU said, diverts the use of the funds intended for the salary increases of all faculty members.
“Equally troubling is UST’s insistence on funding faculty promotions using the mandated Tuition Fee Increment (TFI) share of the faculty members—a move that undermines the integrity of promotions and diverts funds intended for across-the-board salary increases,” the union said in an earlier statement.
However, the administration argued that allocating the funds for general distribution would “undermine” the trust of its students and their families, who had accepted that the tuition hike be used for its agreed-upon purposes.
“Allocating these funds for general distribution to USTFU members would undermine the trust built with students and their families. The University remains committed to fulfilling this promise, particularly given the significant impact that a tuition fee increase has on students and their families,” the University said.
UST noted that policy-making bodies and beneficiaries, including the faculty union, also did not raise any objections at the time when the P26 allocation was being presented.
“The University has always acted in accordance with the law. In fact, its offer exceeds what is legally required. Concessions to demands for economic benefits should take into account financial sustainability to ensure that the University continues to operate effectively while providing competitive compensation and benefits to its academic staff,” it added.
No amount from the P220 million allocation has so far been distributed to the faculty members, with the University citing the need for a signed CBA to motion the distribution. It added that once an agreement has been finalized, the amount will be distributed, along with the remaining P26 million tuition hike shares and the interest incurred.
“The full P220M is secured in several deposit accounts, which is earning interest. Once the CBA is finalized, the funds—including earned interest—will be released in full to the academic staff through USTFU. None of these funds will revert to or be retained by
UST, as has been the practice in previous BAs,” UST said.
The University administration said it remains open for dialogues and negotiations with the USTFU to achieve a “fair and equitable” agreement on the remaining unresolved conflicts.
It maintained that its position on the CBA is not unreasonable.
“The University has always acted in accordance with the law. In fact, its offer exceeds what is legally required,” the University said.
“Concessions to demands for economic benefits should take into account financial sustainability to ensure that the University continues to operate effectively while providing competitive compensation and benefits to its academic staff.” F
