UG admin causes talks to collapse

Feb 23, 2012 News

After five hours of negotiations between the University of Guyana workers’ organizations (the Senior Staff Association and Workers’ Union) and management, the latter rescinded its consent to items agreed upon on Tuesday and has proposed new items.
According to sources at the University, up until late yesterday the situation remained unchanged.
On Tuesday, the parties had managed to agree on a number of terms for resumption. The meeting was chaired by the Chief Labour Officer, Yogenand Persaud.
Kaieteur News was told that although they had agreed on a few aspects, there was one item that caused the deadlock. It was explained that specifically, the Unions proposed that a committee be established to review the decisions to terminate the contracts of three lecturers without, according to them, due process.
“In so doing, UG Acts and Statutes have been flouted by the Council. An official response from the Pro-Chancellor on February 10, 2012 only makes reference to the termination of Mr. Frederick Kissoon’s one-year contract, which he noted was done on “strictly academic considerations.”
It was stated that they have recognized that the Council has by virtue of Statute 12 (h) of the UG Acts and Statutes, the power “to enter into, vary, carry out and terminate contracts.” The unions were adamant, however, that it must do so subject to the provisions of the aforesaid Acts and Statutes.
Further, if the council believed that there were ‘strictly academic considerations’ that to use the language of Statute 25 of the UG Acts and Statutes – rendered Mr. Kissoon “unable to perform the functions of his office,” to the extent that these considerations “warranted the termination of his employment,” then Council, notwithstanding the standard clause in UG employment contracts to the effect that a contract with a member of the University could determine by payment in lieu of notice, would have been required by the very Statute 25 to have followed a very clear and specific process before the contemplated termination.
In essence the committee is calling on the University administrators to act according to the University of Guyana Acts and Statutes and to concede that those lecturers whose services were terminated, including Mr. Kissoon, be accorded the due process specified in Statute 25 of the UG Acts and Statutes.
Further the committee said that it must be emphasized that in determining the lecturers’ contracts without regard to Statute 25, the conduct of the Council was illegal, alarming and precedent setting and wholly exposes all of the members of the University to similar treatment by Council.
More so, the committee noted that there is precedence for such action as the council had appointed a committee to review the decision to terminate a contract held by the late Dr. Desrey Fox.
“The staff are resolved to ensure that our contracts in general will not be subject to the whim and fancy of the Council or any of its members.”

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