The University of Santo Tomas (UST) assured its stakeholders, especially the student community, that its operations and classes will continue despite reaching a stalemate amid ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations with the UST Faculty Union (USTFU).
The UST confirmed over the weekend that talks between its management and faculty union were set in a deadlock after both parties failed to resolve key issues in their latest CBA.
“While the University pursues all available legal and ethical remedies, it remains open to dialogue with USTFU to uphold industrial peace. We assure the entire Thomasian community that this impasse will not disrupt classes or University operations,” UST said in a statement on Saturday, March 15.
The USTFU are reportedly negotiating to receive full hospitalization benefits and increased Christmas bonuses for union members, a ‘genuine longevity’ pay, and a two-day leave for non-teaching personnel from the management.
Another key proposal raised by the organization is the P26 million allocated for Senior High School faculty, who have been productive in research endeavors.
The union also demands the release of the P220-million—sourced from the 70% in the tuition increases on the previous years—to the academic staff.
Both parties are looking into remedies in resolving this conflict. The faculty union is reportedly planning to file a strike at the National Labor Relations Commission should its demands remain unmet.