UA&P stands by refusal to hike pay for staff despite looming strike

MANILA, Philippines — Amid a looming strike by its faculty and staff, the University of Asia and the Pacific is standing by its refusal to heed its unions' demands of raising employees’ pay, saying current “personnel costs” already take up nearly three-quarters of its tuition revenue. 

In a statement sent to Philstar.com on Monday, August 11, the university's management committee said it had already agreed to most non-economic benefits sought by its faculty and staff unions but could not commit to additional salary and benefit increases.

Over the course of its negotiations with the unions, the management said it had offered counterproposals on economic benefits “within our financial capacity” before negotiations with the unions collapsed and preventive mediation with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ended.

“As much as we value every member of our team, any further economic commitments must be made responsibly, or we risk putting jobs and educational quality at stake,” the statement by the management committee read.

The UA&P said around 74% of its tuition income goes to personnel costs — higher than the 52% benchmark it cited from “some leading universities in the country.”

The school also pointed to its scholarship program, saying many union members and their families have benefited from it. It described this level of support as “uncommon in the higher education sector” and proof of its “quiet commitment” to the community.

A new leadership team will assume office on August 18 and will prioritize resolving the issue, the statement read.

“We remain hopeful that, with the guidance of DOLE, this ongoing dialogue will lead to a resolution that is fair, sustainable, and worthy of the community we serve,” it said.

Strike notice after deadlock

On August 7, the University of Asia and the Pacific Union of Faculty Members (UA&PUFM) and the University of Asia and the Pacific Union of Allied Employees (UA&PUAE) filed a notice of strike after mediation talks failed.

RELATED: UA&P unions file strike notice after failed negotiations for higher pay

Union leaders said the breakdown happened when management refused to make a counteroffer on seven priority economic provisions in their proposed collective bargaining agreement, including salary increases they have been seeking for years.

The unions also pushed back against a new work arrangement implemented this month requiring all employees to report onsite 5.5 days a week, up from three days for non-teaching staff.

“If you factor in the fact that salaries have not kept up with inflation with the added cost of reporting for onsite work six times a week, that greatly adds to the burden of hardworking employees,” said Keith Thadens Panganiban, UA&PUAE president.

At UA&P, students pay a tuition fee of about P125,000 to P152,000 per semester, depending on degree program and units taken, according to the university's website. The school has about 2,000 students in total, according to its general information.