Teachers from the University of Belize met with an attorney today to find out about the implications of a new contract system set in place by the Administration since the beginning of the month.
Their concern stems from the fact that they are expected to sign 1 year contracts when many of these lecturers and professors, who have been at the University for over 10 years, believed that they had security of tenure.
7News understands that the 1-year contracts were handed to the entire teaching staff, and they are expected to sign on to these new terms of employment by Saturday, or risk being removed from the payroll. As we've said this comes as a big surprise to the long-standing teachers at UB because their ongoing communication, before this 1-year contract emerged, was that they have security of tenure based on their credentials, and their years of service.
The teachers have contacted the President, the Provost and the Human Resources Director via email requesting a meeting on the issue, but they've not gotten any responses so far. We're told that the teachers feel particularly pressured with the threat of being pulled off the payroll hovering over their heads. Some have reportedly relented and signed because they are worried about financial security for their families.
We've also been informed that complaints have been lodged at the Labour Department asking for their intervention. Today, we contacted Selwyn King from UB's Office of Public Information who told us he was very busy, and couldn't look into the matter, but he promised to have the University's position on the issue next week.
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