The Silliman University Faculty Association and the administration of Silliman are drafting a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, following successful negotiations Friday night, ending a three-day faculty strike.
The breakthrough in the negotiations was announced following meetings initiated by the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council in Negros Oriental between the administration and the faculty union.
The TIPC is composed of Engr. Gregorio Uymatiao Jr. representing the management sector, Felizardo Calimpong representing the labor sector, Labor and Employment Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga, Labor and Employment Officer Maritess Mercado, National Conciliation Mediation Board Regional Director Isobel Tabaniag, and Mario Manuelito Say, conciliation mediator.
In a statement, the TIPC said Silliman has agreed to review its offer to be now based on actual enrolment and revenues this year. The original offer was based on projected enrolment and revenues.
The TIPC said the recomputation allowed the University to improve its package offer for 407 regular academic personnel for three years in School Year 2016-2017, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.
Salaries and benefits for the academic personnel alone will now be over P230 million per year.
This offer was accepted by SUFA, which agreed to immediately lift its strike. Other details of the new CBA were not immediately available.
SUFA President Prof. Jan Antoni Credo, addressing his members after the conciliation meeting, thanked the University and the TIPC for the breakthrough in the CBA negotiations, but warned that the struggle is not completely over until the CBA is signed.
The SUFA declared a strike on Wednesday, July 19 after both parties failed to reach an agreement on seven deadlock issues discussed through months of negotiations.
Credo said they filed a notice of strike on March 31 but a new CBA could not be reached during a year of negotiations.
The demands of SUFA included a one-time bonus of P38,000, across-the-board increase of P1,500 on the 2nd year (effective June 1, 2017), across-the-board increase of P2,300 on the 3rd year (effective June 1, 2018); Christmas and Founders’ Day bonuses; K+12 Transition Scholar’s Subsidy; a reduction in the class sizes in the Early Childhood (Kindergarten 1 and 2) and Elementary (Grades 1 and 2); improvement in the retirement pay; and the administration’s proposal of a Productivity Enhancement Incentive (14thmonth pay) without conditions.
In a press conference Wednesday last week, the administration said it cannot afford to give in to the demands of the SUFA, citing a drop in the enrolment population this year, which meant lesser income due to the transition to the K-12 program and other reasons.
When asked if the P63-million is non-negotiable, the administration panelists explained it’s the only amount the University can afford based on the issue of sustainability.
But SUFA members do not believe the administration does not have the capability to give their demands, noting that while teachers are paid a monthly salary between P19,000 to P40,000, key management personnel get P80,000 to P100,000 a month.
Atty. Joshua Ablong, a member of the administration’s negotiating panel and manager of the Human Resources Division, admitted during the media conference that the University President receives a salary of P100,000 a month.
More than 500 students led by the SU Student Government expressed support for their teachers by joining the picket lines fronting the main gate leading to the Admin building.
“Student support was overwhelming,” noted Dr. Karl Villarmea, Divinity professor. “It was heartwarming to see them in the streets, taking over the picket lines. These Silliman students responded to the challenge with great passion.”
Parents also voiced their concerns during the strike, demanding that the contending parties settle the labor dispute at the earliest time possible as the longer it will continue, their students’ education will be at risk. (With a report from Judy Flores)
