UG says staff will get salary increases before Christmas

The University of Guyana (UG) today announced that its staff will receive salary increases before Christmas.

The University said that its Finance and General Purposes Committee met last Wednesday and approved the request of Vice-Chancellor Professor Ivelaw Griffith for salary increases at the rate of 3% for all eligible UA staff and 4% for all eligible UB staff, retroactive to January 1, 2018.

It said these increases will be paid to staff members of the University of Guyana by Thursday, December 20, 2018.

Considering the increases granted for 2017, this makes the combined increase over two years 9% for UA staff and 12% for UB workers.

“Although the 2018 negotiations with the unions never moved beyond differences over the agenda, I felt obliged to act on what we had planned all along to do; that is, to offer a salary increase for 201,” Vice-Chancellor Griffith was quoted as saying.

He further emphasised that “the Administration maintains the principled position that performance will be a factor in this exercise, and that no academic staff with outstanding grades will be granted the increase.”

As with previous salary increases, this salary adjustment requires finding money for the allowances that are pegged to salaries, the University stated.

“For example, housing allowances are tied to salaries at the rate of 20 per cent. Overall, the adjustment this year will cost the University G$ 81.34 million,” it added.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that while the percentage increase is modest, it is guided by the principle of affordability; G$81.34 million is what the university can afford at this time.

Additionally, the increase is granted knowing that there is an understandable expectation by staff members for some form of financial relief for the year, the University stated.