UTech staff remain on strike

President of the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, is urging academic staff at the Papine-based to return to work.

This comes following industrial action by the academic staff, which began on Friday, because of the failure of the university to pay over outstanding funds to them in a near-decade-long salary dispute.

In an interview with The Gleaner yesterday, Vasciannie said that faculty should return to work in the interest of the students whom they serve.

However, Lebert Langley, president of the UTech, Jamaica Academic Staff Union (UTASU), said that until the agreed payment is made, the academic staff intend to stay off the job.

In May, UTASU accepted a proposal from the management of the university, putting an end to their long-standing salary-adjustment dispute.

The Gleaner understands that retroactive payments were to be made in July and September of this year and a third tranche next May, but staff members have only received the first payment.

In a release last week, UTech blamed the Government for being tardy in the disbursement of funds.