FACULTY Union presidential candidate Revenendo Vargas called for greater transparency within the University of Santo Tomas Faculty Union (USTFU), citing concerns over communication lines and the promotion scheme.
In an interview with the Varsitarian, Vargas said internal discussions within the union should be disclosed first to members before being released publicly.
He cited instances in which documents circulated beyond the USTFU board and general membership.
“Ang nangyayari kasi na naobserbahan namin, nagsabi rin ‘yung ibang board members din mismo, merong resolution, merong usapan, pero after ng resolution dito, iba ‘yung lumalabas,” Vargas said.
Such instances raise questions on how information is relayed within the union, emphasizing that faculty members should be “prioritized” in internal communications, he said.
Vargas, who is running under the Faculty for Academic Integrity and Rights (FAIR) party, said his slate wanted to uphold the dignity and recognition of faculty members.
“[FAIR] will fight for other things that define us, that describe us as academicians…It is not just a labor union, it is a faculty union,” he stressed.
Vargas raised concerns about the removal of the faculty promotion and reclassification scheme from the USTFU collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the administration, which placed it outside the scope of negotiation for terms and conditions of work.
“Wala na ‘yung aming promotion and reclassification criteria sa CBA for the past decades,” he said. “Paano nangyari ‘yon, paano natanggal ‘yon na hindi naman siya bahagi ng [union] proposal?”
Vargas said these provisions directly affect faculty members’ access to promotion and rank upgrades, which are tied to salary increases and professional standing.
“It is only when you have been promoted that [the administration] will also raise your status and most especially your salary,” he said.
He pointed out that the outdated faculty evaluation tool remained unchanged despite the signing of a new CBA.
Vargas also raised questions about the status of a P17-million rank-upgrade fund previously rejected by the general membership, saying clarification from the CBA negotiating panel was needed.
These issues highlight the role of the general membership in union decision-making, particularly in matters that require ratification, he added.
“Ang nawala dito is the collective power of the general membership. That’s why we have a union. We have to enforce the collective power of the general membership,” Vargas said.
If elected, Vargas said he would ensure that communications from the administration would be relayed to both the USTFU board and general membership, adding that decisions should be made collectively.
“It will not be my decision, it will be the decision of the board,” he said.
Vargas, a theology professor, is seeking a rematch of sorts against incumbent USTFU president Emerito Gonzales, a philosophy faculty member to whom he lost narrowly in the 2021 election.
Voting for the new set of USTFU officers and board members is set on April 28 and 29.
