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Thursday, September 11, 2003
USA admin calls for sobriety amid CBA talks deadlock
OFFICIALS of University of San Agustin (USA) called for sobriety among the school's more than 650 employees as members of the USA Employees Union (USAEU) hold a strike vote Wednesday following a deadlock in the negotiations in their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Negotiations for the CBA's economics provisions covering the academic years 2003 to 2005 ended in a deadlock as the administration denied the union's demand for a package of benefits amounting to nearly P38 million over a two-year period, P23.8 million of which will be given this academic year.
The demand include a monthly rice subsidy, annual clothing allowance, mid-year bonus, monthly medical allowance, book allowance, laundry allowance, increase in Christmas bonus, increase in CBA signing bonus, increase in cash awards, increase in unused sick and vacation leaves convertible to cash, among others.
In a press statement, the administration said it has maintained that the 70 percent share of personnel in the Net Incremented Proceed (NIP) should cover both salaries and benefits, not just benefits as the union demands.
It added that much of the increase should go to faculty members who have doctoral and masteral degrees to encourage them to pursue graduate studies.
Over the past three academic years alone, the university has given employees more than 70 percent of the tuition increase collection. It has granted a total of P5,000 a month across-the-board increase to all its employees in three years time.
Currently, the university's lowest paid maintenance personnel has a gross pay of P13,548.32 a month or P517.77 a day, while the lowest paid non-academic personnel like records clerks receive P13,901.25 a month.
The lowest monthly salary for teachers with full load (24 units), according to highest degree obtained, are the following: P15,761.12, for bachelor's degree holders; P18,731.12 for master's degree holders; and PhP24,749.84 for doctoral degree holders. A full-professor is paid P28.28 a month.
The administration added that it also has been granting generous privileges and benefits to its employees. It grants 100 percent tuition discount to employees, their legitimate spouse and children. In the Academic Year 2002-2003 alone, the University spent more than P23 million for scholarships, discounts and privileges.
It also revealed that the employees' medical and dental fees are also 100 percent free. The university further provides hospitalization benefits, free x-ray, consultation and clinical laboratory examinations to all its employees.
Academic personnel enjoy a 15-day sick leave with pay, while non-academic and maintenance personnel enjoy a 15-day vacation leave and a 15-day sick leave with pay. Ten days of such leaves are convertible to cash. Other leaves with pay given as privileges are paternity leave, bereavement leave, and emergency leave. The university also provides bereavement assistance to its employees.
Given the university's current compensation package, the administration said it finds the Union's demands unreasonable considering the University's financial position, which has been worsened by the steady decline in enrolment over the past three years.
Records of the university registrar's office show a decrease of 716 students in the first semester.
(September 10, 2003 issue)
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