The Bustamante industrial Trade Union (BITU) has accused the management of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) of ignoring a multiplicity of issues, which could escalate into a serious industrial relations dispute at the Government-owned maritime tertiary institution.

According to the union’s vice-president, Ruddy Thomas, the BITU has already notified the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of the high probability that, if not checked, the matter will escalate.

“We however hope good sense will kick in and prevail,” Thomas said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Thomas, the issues include CMU failing to issue current employment contracts and implement provisions negotiated between the parties in labour agreements, its failure to ratify critical vacation accrual for certain members of staff and, its failure to pay outstanding incentives.

“In fact, we have had reason to question the names appearing as entitled to receive certain incentive payments, which is also outstanding,” said Thomas.

He noted that the BITU currently holds bargaining rights for administration, ancillary and technical staff at the university, who are up in arms over several matters involving themselves and management.

Thomas said information the union has received has indicated that the university has been employing individuals, while claiming not to have an organisational structure approved by the ministries of finance or education, and that these newly hired persons were being paid at significantly higher salaries than incumbents holding similar positions.

He argued that while there is need for consultation with the union on these matters, the management of CMU appears to be “doing their own thing, while treating the union’s letter with scant regard”.

Thomas said that based on the management “circumventing the union” and its intent, as perceived by the workers, a meeting was held with the worker delegates on the matters on Monday, October 11.

He said that, as a result of its findings, the union wrote to the management, requesting that they cease the activities in which they intended to roll out a new organisational structure and transitional plan to the workers, to allow for the appropriate intervention.

However, Thomas charged, the letter was not acknowledged by the management, and the union was advised that the management had proceeded with a scheduled meeting.

He said that, by then, the union had advised the Ministry of Education of the situation at CMU, including the most recent actions, and is currently awaiting the intervention of the ministry in the escalating situation.