By Halshane Burke
Almost 600 workers at the University of Technology (UTech) continue to press for the approval of the complement of posts attached to the tertiary institution.
The workers have called out sick for a second straight day over the lack of progress on the approval of the current staff establishment. The technical and ancillary staff have joined the administrative staff in the protest.
Jeanette Grayson, President of the University of Technology Administrative Staff Association (UTASA), said the last establishment was approved in 1995, and since then, the staff complement has increased by more than 800 members.
Mrs Grayson said without the approval of the current establishment, any increase in wage and benefits would not aid those who were employed subsequent to 1995.
"In order for us to get all of the things that we are advocating for, or at least some of the things, the establishment must be approved," she insisted. But she complained that the workers have heard nothing from the management which is supposed to be advocating on their behalf to the Ministry of Education.
Mrs Grayson said the management has not indicated what is preventing the process from going forward.
"All they are saying to us is that they have written, they have gone, but yet we are still nowhere with this new establishment," she lamented.
Mrs Grayson was speaking Tuesday morning on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.
