UPDATE: Meeting to resolve UTech lecturers ‘sit-in’ postponed
KINGSTON, Jamaica — University of Technology (UTech) President, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, a short while ago, disclosed that a 3:00 pm meeting scheduled today between the university management and the union representing lecturers on industrial action did not take place.
Vasciannie in a release said that he remains committed to dialogue with the leadership of the University of Technology Academic Staff Union in pursuing good and satisfactory outcomes to ensure that the priority obligation to students is not compromised.
A reason for the postponement of the meeting was not given.
“Generally, I hope that persons who are unwell will recover soon, and offer my thanks to all members of staff who undertook their responsibilities throughout the day,” Vasciannie was quoted as saying in reference to a sit-in this morning by Utech lecturers.
Vasciannie, in the meantime, encouraged students to attend classes as scheduled until further notice.
The lecturers’ sit-in is protesting a claimed lack of adequate funding for the institution over the years.
OBSERVER ONLINE sources say that UTech lecturers met yesterday and decided to withdraw their services until Thursday of this week.
According to one student, a lecturer sent a message via WhatsApp informing that: “there will be no class today…please read lecture 3 on selection criteria…in preparation for next week”.