Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Vol. IV, No. 28 August 15 - 21, 2004 Quezon City, Philippines |
UPLB
Teachers Decry Union Busting by Chancellor More
than 147 casual and temporary teachers from various departments and
colleges at the University of the Philippines-Los Banos (UPLB) were
shocked that they were given one-semester
contracts by UPLB Chancellor Wilfredo David instead of the one-year
contract recommended by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Instruction.
The All-UP Academic Employees Union says that this is one form of
union-busting. BY
DENNIS ESPADA LOS
BAñOS, Laguna -Teachers and student groups at the University of the
Philippines-Los Banos (UPLB) campus here are rising in protest over the
school administration's new policy of reducing teaching contracts to just
one semester. They said this policy would lead to the further
deterioration of the quality of education at U.P. Last
June and July, more than 147 casual and temporary teachers from various
departments and colleges of UPLB received their appointment papers from
the Office of Chancellor Wilfredo David. "The
teachers were shocked when they received one-semester contracts even if
the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Instruction recommended that they be
given one-year contracts," said a female instructor, of UPLB's
College of Arts and Sciences, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "When
one of our colleagues asked the reason for the decision, the Chancellor
merely replied that 'We want to be flawless'," the source added. Local
journalists visited the Chancellor’s office twice for an interview, but
Chancellor David refused. He merely gave them a copy of his Memorandum
Order No. 079 dated July 12, which states that the selection and
appointment, renewal of appointment, promotion and other personnel actions
are "policy matters that are addressed to the sound discretion of the
appointing authority." Citing
Article XIV Section 52 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Chancellor
David invoked his "academic freedom" to choose who should
comprise the faculty. Union
busting As
of 2000, UPLB has a total of 860 faculty members, 39 of whom are members
of the All-UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU). There are also 524
research and extension personnel and staff (REPS). Patrick
McDivith, AUPAEU president, explained that all those accepted to teach in
UPLB are re-evaluated and recommended by the Academic Personnel Committee
(APC) and Academic Personnel Board (APB), which are composed of highly
competent and respected colleagues in the university. Based on the
recommendation, the Chancellor makes the appointment. McDivith
added that the creation of both the APC and APB is within the bounds of
the university policy, in adherence to the democratic character of UP and
to avoid the bias of the Chancellor. McDivith
said that many teachers, especially those who have been in the university
for three years and more, "felt demoralized" after receiving
their reduced contracts. Many of them, according to McDivith, are now
considering attractive offers to teach in other colleges and universities. He
explained that the policy of granting one-semester contracts violates the
security of tenure of teachers and hampers their intellectual growth.
Affected teachers will feel demoralized and will be easy to repress
for fear of being terminated. Eventually, this policy will result in a decline in the
quality of education at the university as it will result in a fast
turnover of teachers. McDivith
added that in exercising the institution's academic freedom, as mandated
by the Constitution, the university has set its own process and set of
guidelines regarding the employment and renewal of its faculty and
employees. In the 1,017th meeting of the Board of Regents, held last Dec.
8, 1988, the Board agreed that contracts should at least be one year. "We
don't know the basis of Chancellor David for granting one-semester
contracts. We think that this is his way of union busting," McDivith
said. "In our study, this policy is consistent with the trend towards
the contractualization of employee positions." According
to McDivith, the AUPAEU submitted an open letter of inquiry to the
Chancellor. But Chancellor David issued a memorandum stating that he does
not recognize the AUPAEU's mandate to speak in behalf of the university's
academic employees. "The
attempt of the Chancellor to discredit the union is futile...if legal
papers are the Chancellor's only basis for not recognizing the AUPAEU,
then we recommend that the Chancellor do his homework again. The AUPAEU is
recognized by the Department of Labor and Employment under Certificate
number 1167 dated Oct. 15, 2002," the AUPAEU said in a statement. Repressive
policies Meanwhile,
a protest action was held by the UPLB-University Student Council (USC),
together with the League of Filipino Students (LFS), Student Christian
Movement (SCM), Samahan ng Kabataan para sa Bayan or Sakbayan
(Organization of the Youth for the Nation), and other student groups,
last July 22 in front of the Administration Building to demand for a
dialogue with the Chancellor. Their request was not granted, according to
Mary Ann Batas, USC vice-chair. "Sa
loob ng term namin, hindi siya nakikipagdayalog. Actually, 'yung budget
proposal ng USC, to think na tatlong linggo na lang kami, hindi pa rin
aprubado. 'Yung gastusin namin, galing sa sarili naming bulsa. Wala siyang
karapatang i-hold ang pera ng estudyante”
(During our term, he refused to dialogue with the students. Actually, the
budget proposal of the USC has not yet been approved, to think that we
have only three weeks left. We pay for our expenses from our own pockets.
He has no right to withhold the students' money), Batas lamented. Aside
from sympathizing with their teachers' plight, Batas and his colleagues at
the USC are also protesting against the repressive policies being
implemented by the Chancellor. According
to Batas, the Chancellor is now requiring that plans for activities of
student organizations be submitted to him for approval. Students
said that David has practically "killed" two militant traditions
in UPLB. According to Batas,
he disapproved the holding of an annual student activity, the “February
Fair”. He also disallowed
the display of the "Serve The People" banner during graduation
rites last May. Student and teachers' groups warned that if Chancellor David persists in abusing his discretionary powers, he will have to face bigger militant demonstrations until his term ends. Bulatlat We want to know what you think of this article.
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