USP staff union welcomes 5pc pay rise

From left: USP human resources manager talent, acquisitions and management Ravinesh Shankar, USPSU president Tarisi Vacala, USP vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia and USPSU general-secretary Ilima Finiasi during a press conference at USP’s Laucala campus on the settlement of salary adjustments for USPSU members for the triennium period 2016-2018. Picture: WANSOLWARA

By GERALDINE PANAPASA

MORE than 500 members of The University of the South Pacific Staff Union (USPSU) will receive a 5 per cent pay increase backdated to 2016 after the University’s finance and investments committee recently approved the salary adjustments for the last triennium.

While a new round of bargaining with all unions at USP is expected to commence soon, USP Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia said resolving the long-standing issue of salary adjustments for USPSU members showed responsibility and acknowledgement by both sides of the need to be frugal but fair in difficult times.

“We are one of the largest employers in the country. To be able to do this amicably with a smile on our faces and not have that acrimonious relationship tells me that we have matured as an organization,” he said during a press conference at USP’s Laucala campus today.

“All other negotiations were finished last year, but of course we will begin a new round of bargaining with all the unions because we don’t want to be in a position where we are paying people after three years. I think that is wrong.

“Inflation doesn’t happen in three-year blocks. It happens every year. We do know the cost of living is going up and on a year-to-year basis people face a lot of issues. Our staff have bills to pay and they have families to feed. We will make sure that we negotiate in good faith, and try and reach an agreement as quickly as possible.”

Prof Ahluwalia said USPSU staff in Fiji and the region would receive their back payment in the next pay cycle on August 7.

He said a small portion of the salary adjustment was paid to USPSU members in 2018, however, the staff were not paid for 2016-2017.

USPSU president Tarisi Vacala welcomed the announcement and strengthened partnership with USP management.

“The USPSU secretariat and the VC’s Office have been receiving a huge amount of response from staff across all levels, thanking all parties for the wonderful outcome,” she said.

“This has been largely viewed and received as a major achievement across the main two categories of university administrative levels.

“This is indeed a victory shared amongst all parties and certainly sits well with our University values of the vuvale concept of family and inclusiveness. The Pacific way at its best.”

Meanwhile, Prof Ahluwalia said all other categories of staff were paid last year and the only outstanding pay was for teaching assistants.

He said they were working hard to reach an agreement on that negotiation.

*Geraldine Panapasa is the supervising editor-in-chief of Wansolwara, USP Journalism’s student training newspaper and online publication.