FOUR YEARS’ worth of tuition hike shares will finally be distributed to UST teachers upon the ratification of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), settling one of the most contested points of a months-long labor dispute between the University management and faculty union.
In a press briefing on Friday, May 23, UST Faculty Union (USTFU) president Asst. Prof. Emerito Gonzales said the faculty’s cut in tuition hikes for the academic years 2021-2022 until 2023-2024, which amounted to P220 million, would be distributed once the CBA is ratified this May.
“With the support of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), we have concluded an agreement that not only restores peace in our University community but also delivers concrete gains for our faculty,” Gonzales said.
“We are also pleased to share that, because of this agreement, the long-delayed [tuition hike] share of the faculty, amounting to P220 million, will finally be distributed once the CBA is ratified,” he added.
For several months, USTFU and the administration had been at odds over the release of the faculty funds. The UST management insisted on distributing the 2020-2024 shares after the CBA has been finalized and ratified supposedly to prevent legal and compliance issues.
The issue had reached the Commission on Higher Education, which issued a show-cause order to UST to explain its compliance with Republic Act 6728 and the commission’s guidelines. It later found no misuse of funds on the University’s side and deferred the dispute to the labor department.
Under the law, private schools are mandated to allocate 70% of tuition hikes to salaries, allowances and benefits of teaching and non-teaching staff.
Another major issue that has been resolved is USTFU’s appeal for 100% hospitalization benefits at the University’s medical facilities. It will replace the P100,000 annual coverage, which the faculty union said has been in place for at least 20 years.
“At the heart of this milestone is the landmark decision to increase our hospitalization and medical benefit—a long overdue and deeply significant step toward building a more humane, compassionate and dignified workplace for all,” Gonzales said.
A P21 million spending cap is established for the benefit, which would be under trial for the first two years of its implementation to monitor its impact on the University’s finances.
Should hospitalization costs exceed the given cap, medical coverage would revert to the management’s initial proposal of P150,000 and P350,000 limit for regular and critical care, respectively.
Expenses outside the UST Hospital like diagnostic and lab tests, medical emergencies and a wellness benefit every birth month are covered for reimbursement. Other benefits include technical support for teaching personnel, which was increased from P7,000 to P15,000.
As a compromise on the hospitalization provision, USTFU has agreed to source the teaching staff’s rank upgrades and the senior high school’s P10.5 million salary restructuring to the tuition increase shares from academic 2023-2024. Improvements to the salaries and other benefits will no longer be charged to the faculty’s share in tuition increases for succeeding years.
USTFU initially proposed a 50% cost from the tuition hike shares after management turned down its demand for a 100% charge to the University’s treasury.
On May 21, the University management finally distributed P21.8 million of the demanded P27.8 million teachers’ share in the tuition increase from academic year 2020-2021, which was covered by the previous CBA. Subject to ratification, the remaining P6 million will be used to replenish the faculty’s hospitalization benefits.
Both parties will meet before the end of this month to finalize the bargaining deal. All discussed provisions are subject to the CBA’s ratification. Once the CBA is agreed upon, USTFU and the management panel will wait five calendar days before conducting a general assembly for a ratification vote.
Since the union filed a strike notice on March 25, it has attended seven meetings facilitated by the NCMB. A strike vote among faculty members was scheduled for May 15, but the union had decided to extend its dialogue with the University to arrive at a consensus. F
