Tension Mounts at UTECH as Unions Agitate for Change

University of Technology Academic Staff Union (UTASU) University of Technology Administrative Staff Association (UTASA) University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU) c/o University of Technology, Jamaica (UTECH) 237 Old Hope Road Kingston 6

October 22, 2014

NEWS RELEASE

TENSION MOUNTS AT UTECH AS UNIONS AGITATE FOR CHANGE

Tension continues at the Papine campus of the University of Technology, Jamaica, as the Unions representing staff awaits the outcome of a Council meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 23 , 2014 at 12:00 noon.

Despite being convinced that the university is in crisis with respect to governance, human resource culture, management and financial management, the joint staff unions of the university have continued to exercise restraint, even as the leaders of the institution fail to take any meaningful action to correct this widely acknowledged—and now officially verified—unacceptable situation.

Several months of measured agitation through the internal and external presentation of letters detailing their concerns, has apparently been to no avail. The three unions joined forces in taking their concerns into the public domain through a full-page advertisement in the September 29, 2013 edition of the Sunday Gleaner entitled “Taxpayers have a right to know!”

Within a week

, there were meetings with the Minister of Education, the Council, and the Joint Unions. The management of the university responded to the publicly aired concerns with both an advertisement and a letter to the Minister.

On Thursday, October 2, 2013, an emergency Council meeting was held to approve a resolution for the establishment of a special committee to enquire into the matters raised and to make recommendations to the Council and the Minister of Education.

That Special Advisory Committee (SAC) conducted investigations under the chairmanship of Ambassador Derrick Heaven, along with membership representing senior management, the unions and an external stakeholder. The SAC conducted hearings on numerous allegations regarding questionable practices in Human Resource Management, Procurement and Financial Management. The SAC expressed concern regarding the obvious “deficit of trust” between management and staff which they thought would work to the detriment of the university. Subsequent to the tabling of this report, President, Professor Errol Morrison was seconded to a government ministry. His UTech contract remains in force until February 2, 2015.

The Acting President, Ambassador Whiteman has been in office for five months. During this time he has been in receipt of four official reports, namely:

i. The Special Advisory Committee (SAC) report

ii. The Public Accountability Investigative Unit Report on Financial Management at the University of Technology, Jamaica

iii. The Public Accountability Investigative Unit Report on Governance at the University of Technology, Jamaica

iv. The Public Accountability Investigative Unit Report on Procurement at the University of Technology, Jamaica

These investigations were undertaken at the request of the Minister of Education following agitation by the three unions representing academic, administrative and support staff at the Papine campus. The three unions have exercised due process and considerable restraint while pressing for urgently needed administrative, governance and financial management changes. Despite commitment from the Acting President “for action by September 30, 2014”, there has not been any notable response to any of the many and substantial findings or recommendations of the reports to date.

The reports have cited concerns and made recommendations on issues of transparency and accountability regarding the management and expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money. Council has classified the latter three reports as “reserved business” which prevents public circulation, therefore hindering any meaningful discussion among even the members of the unions – the groups whose initiative led to the commissioning of the investigations. Considering that more than enough time has been given to the leadership of the university to take appropriate and timely action, continued withholding of critical information from the reports cannot be in the best interest of the institution and has only served to widen the existing “deficit of trust”.

We have been waiting for more than a year.

This Thursday, October 23, 2014, the governing body of the UTech, the Council meets. The Joint Unions are expectant and hopeful that as a result of the deliberations at this meeting there will be effective managerial responses to stem the continued damage to the UTech brand.

The Joint Unions wish to inform all the university’s stakeholders, especially our students that we have been very patient and understanding, but the “waiting” period has passed, and in the interest of our beloved institution, unless meaningful and tangible actions are taken when the Council meets on Thursday, we will not be able to guarantee business as usual.

Contact: Mr. Henry Harley – UTASU

Telephone: 876- 816- 3092

Email: hharey@utech.edu.jm

Contact: Mr. Meredith Williams, Secretary - UTASU

Telephone: 876- 348-4094

Email: merewil@yhaoo.com

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