THE UST Faculty Union (USTFU) has again called on UST to release teachers’ share in tuition hikes, as negotiations for a new salary and benefits deal officially reached a deadlock on March 14.
In a notice formally declaring a deadlock in talks, USTFU negotiators asked Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Cheryl Peralta not to hold “hostage in this labor dispute” the P220-million allocation for the faculty’s mandatory 70% share in tuition hikes.
According to the UST management, this amount came from tuition collections from Academic Years (AY) 2021-2022 to AY 2023-2024, along with remaining allocations from AY 2020-2021.
“We believe that the University has the moral and legal obligation to immediately release these amounts to all academic staff and to not hold the same as hostage in this labor dispute,” the six-member union panel told Peralta, who heads UST’s panel in CBA talks.
UST had insisted on releasing the amount only after the 2021-2026 CBA is signed. In a statement on March 13, UST said distribution terms for this P220-million allocation had been “agreed upon.”
By law, 70% of tuition increases must go to salaries of teachers and support staff.
READ: CHEd orders UST to explain compliance on distribution of faculty’s share in tuition hikes
Union negotiators officially declared a deadlock on CBA talks in a meeting with the UST management panel on March 14. They outlined 11 provisions that they sought to renegotiate with the intervention of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB).
READ: EXPLAINER: What happens when collective bargaining talks end up in a deadlock?
USTFU wanted full hospitalization coverage from P100,000 a year. It also sought to revisit the P26-million allocation initially intended for the salary restructuring of Senior High School (SHS) teachers and faculty with advanced degrees and research outputs but stuck in lower ranks.
The UST administration’s final offer included an increase in medical benefits to P150,000 a year from P100,000 and a critical illness benefit of P200,000. The latter benefit would have been increased to P300,000 if the union membership agreed to a P17-million “rank upgrade” budget.
The P17-million rank upgrade proposal, down from the P26 million initially sought by the union, included a P1.5-million allocation for the restructuring of SHS faculty salaries.
USTFU also wanted the increase of Christmas bonuses to P30,000 per year from P15,000 to be reconsidered, and the emergency loan interest to be lowered to 4% from 6%.
An additional two days of vacation leave for non-teaching academic staff and the inclusion of 11th and 12th month pay for tenured faculty were also among the deadlocked provisions. Union negotiators proposed a genuine longevity pay benefit based on years of service.
USTFU sought compensatory time-off for Junior High School faculty who are required to report beyond regular working hours or during school-related activities. The return service period for sabbatical leave was also proposed to be reverted from a 1:3 ratio to 1:2.
The salary improvement of National Service Training Program facilitators directly from the program’s funds, and the increase of unused sick leave conversion to 20 days from 15 days were also deadlocked.
USTFU and the UST administration will have a “cooling off” period of five working days from the declaration of a deadlock. During this period, both parties may “offer options to resolve the issue,” according to negotiation ground rules.
If no compromise is reached within this period, the USTFU will file a notice of strike with the NCMB on March 24, allowing the government body to step in and intervene to resolve remaining disputes concerning the CBA.
