Amid industrial action for pay hike…UG Vice-Chancellor says majority of staff benefit from a host of allowances

Mar 27, 2017 News

Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana (UG) Professor Ivelaw Griffith has revealed that a majority of staff at the tertiary educational institution benefit from a host of allowances in addition to their base salaries.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Griffith

Professor Griffith made this disclosure last week in a telecast during which he spoke extensively on the recent industrial action taken against UG by the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU).
The UGSSA and the UGWU have insisted that they be called to the negotiating table instead of the administration imposing an increase in salaries. They are currently demanding a 15 percent pay hike that was recommended by government in the last budget.
According to Professor Griffith apart from their salaries, staff members benefit from travel, entertainment, housing, responsibility among other allowance and tuition waivers.
“I will tell you something which is a fact that many people don’t know about or prefer not to know about. Our university doesn’t pay very well compared to other universities. But beyond the base salary there are a whole host of allowances that people get.”
Specifically, the Vice Chancellor said that a travel allowance of $21, 960 per month is applicable to all managers while $32, 940 and $17,000 per month are applicable to other categories.
He further said that entertainment allowances ranging from $9,600, $6, 720 and $4,800 per month are paid out. He also disclosed that staff also benefit from housing, rental, annual academic material, annual leave and bicycle allowances.
Professor Griffith said, “Housing allowance 20 percent of basic salary. Rental assistance that is there… Annual academic materials allowance… Annual leave (one calendar month and five days for certain people) three months for other people, vacation leave, medical insurance…”
“So when I go to request a sum of money. I have got to look at the whole package, not just the base salary.” Nevertheless, he said that the entire package will be reviewed and placed on the agenda of a UG council meeting scheduled for Thursday.
The University of Guyana, Professor Griffith said, spends millions of dollars every year on tuition waivers. He stated that he recently authorized tuition waivers for three staff members.
He repeated, “So it’s not just the basic salary that I have got to consider. I have got to consider other things.”
The Vice Chancellor noted that reality is that salaries need to be improved for staff both academic and non academic. He said that it is something that has to be taken more importantly and significantly.
“Not only have I said it. I put in my budget request last year for a 30 percent salary increase knowing that I wouldn’t get 30 percent. But I wanted to send a signal both internally in the university and to the government which I was making that request.”
“They (the unions) are hooked on a 15 percent (increase).”
“There is a relationship between paying something and having the money to pay. I am looking at an almost $5M gap in this budget coming up. I have also got to consider that the government is not the only source we are trying to set the basis to get money from,” he stated.
Professor Griffith continued, “”I am committed to being the best Vice Chancellor that I can be for the primary constituency of any university and that is the students. I respect the right of any worker, faculty or staff to protest. To conduct themselves in a way which they feel is appropriate. I want to assure you that I will do everything with my team to ensure that the primacy of the responsibility that we have which is to enable students to get the best possible education experience…the primacy is at the top of my agenda.”
The UG in a missive to the media expressed disappointment that the union has opted to take industrial action while efforts are being made to resolve outstanding matters. The statement said that the top issues for the union have always involved salaries and benefits, and that the administration is committed to increasing salaries.

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