UB Union Plans to get Subvention by any Means Necessary

Tensions are heating up between the University of Belize and the Government, and it all comes down to a ten-million-dollar promise that’s been left hanging for nearly a decade. The UB Faculty and Staff Union says they’ve waited long enough, and now, they’re drawing the line. At a recent NTUCB solidarity rally, UBFSU President Julianne Pasos didn’t mince words, she says the university is underfunded, staff morale is slipping, and the union is ready to do whatever it takes to get that long-overdue subvention delivered.

 

Julianne Pasos, President, UB Faculty & Staff Union

“Our  faculty and staff are demoralized at this point, and they do want to. The nine percent is ten years coming. In 2015 when we got our five percent, I just got an email that reminded me that at that point we were negotiating for fourteen percent  and we only got five and we did not get the additional nine percent. So this is long in the making, so our faculty and staff are really going to do whatever it takes to get it. And so they, I just have to say, be prepared for whatever.”

 

Reporter

“Even if that means pushing school back>”

 

Julianne Pasos

“I don’t know. I can’t say, you know, and honestly, at the cabinet meeting on Teusday, we plan to be out there for that meeting on, and I invite the students to come and join us because doesn’t only impacted faculty and staff, but it also impacted students. So I invite the students to come join us and the public come on. It affects all of us there. What affects our national university affects the entire country of Belize. At this  this point, I believe you’re aware of the last stand, the issuing that came out. We are calling on a meeting for requesting a meeting with the Minister of Education and the Minister of Finance to discuss the subvention for the university. That meeting has been postponed to hopefully next week after the meeting with Cabinet. We have been informed the issue of the university subvention will be tabled on the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. So hopefully we make some headway after that.”