News Releases

Update on OWTU Negotiations

For Release Upon Receipt - March 20, 2013

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago – The negotiations between The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine and the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) for a revised Collective Agreement for the period January 1 2009 to December 31 2011, was referred at the request of the Union, to the Industrial Court for hearing and determination. At the request of the Union, the Court brought both parties together to attempt conciliation hearings. On Friday March 1 2013 the Court was able to formulate a position and gave The UWI two weeks in which to seek a remit that would assist in resolving the outstanding matter. A formal update was sent to the Union on March 18 2013 indicating that The UWI had no new position and meanwhile it was working towards obtaining the requisite authority to make a firm offer.

On March 18 and 19, UWI workers were involved in industrial action via protests across the Campus. The demonstrations continued today, Wednesday 20 March, with demonstrations at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt. Hope and other locations on the Campus. Section 66 (1) of  the Industrial Relations Act of 1972  stipulates clearly that “No party to a dispute may continue, or take, industrial action while proceedings in relation to a dispute to which that action relates are pending before the Court or the Court of Appeal.” The actions of the staff supported by the Union in the past few days are therefore illegal and in breach of the provisions of the Act, for which The UWI is entitled at law to take appropriate action if it deems necessary.

By April 8, The UWI will report to the Industrial Court and the Union a firm position. In the interest of good industrial relations and workplace harmony, The UWI administration expects that employees will cease any and all illegal industrial action, which is actionable at law, and await the outcome of the legitimate process at the Industrial Court.

 

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About UWI

Over the last six decades, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged University with over 40,000 students. Today, UWI is the largest and most longstanding higher education provider in the English-speaking Caribbean, with main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Centres in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Christopher (St Kitts) & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. UWI recently launched its Open Campus, a virtual campus with 45 physical site locations across the region, serving 16 countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. UWI is an international university with faculty and students from over 40 countries and collaborative links with over 60 universities around the world. Through its seven Faculties, UWI offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science & Technology, Food & Agriculture, and Social Sciences.

 

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)

 

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