AFTER more than a year of negotiations, the UST Faculty Union (USTFU) and the University administration have reached an agreement on a new salary and benefits package, which includes a 100% hospitalization privilege.
UST and USTFU’s negotiating panels, spearheaded by Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Cheryl Peralta and Union President Emerito Gonzales, signed the deal for the 2021-2026 CBA on May 30.
There was no public announcement from both sides, however, except for photos posted on a Facebook page titled “Batas Manggagawa.”
This breakthrough paves the way for the ratification of the package via a vote among union members, set to take place online from June 9 to 10.
“An online general assembly will be held on June 9, 2025, starting at 8:00 AM, to give members the opportunity to raise questions and seek clarifications,” USTFU told union members on June 1.
Copies of the 2021-2026 UST faculty CBA will be sent to union members on June 2, and will also be posted on faculty room bulletin boards.
Once the deal is ratified, UST faculty members are expected to receive their withheld share of tuition increases from 2021 to 2024, totaling P220 million.
Both parties have yet to release the full details of the new deal, though they had agreed on other provisions such as expanded leave for non-teaching staff and a P6-million salary restructuring fund for tertiary-level faculty.
A compromise deal was produced under the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) on May 20. Union and management negotiators met again later to finalize the CBA provisions.
UST had agreed to the union’s proposed 100% hospitalization benefit, a significant improvement from the P100,000 fixed reimbursement cap under the previous faculty CBA.
However, this full hospitalization perk will be capped at P10 million and is exclusive to UST Hospital.
For expenses ranging from P10 million to P15 million, only P750,000 will be reimbursed to USTFU. Should the total reach P15 million to P21 million, the reimbursable amount would be further reduced to P500,000.
Once total expenses surpass P21 million, UST management will allot P150,000 for regular confinement and P350,000 for critical care, almost similar to its offer before the declaration of a deadlock.
Within 30 days of signing a CBA, the parties must submit copies to the Department of Labor and Employment or its regional offices for registration, along with verified proof of posting at two visible workplace locations and ratification by the majority of workers.
The labor department will process the registration within five calendar days.
