Nassau, THE BAHAMAS — Middle Managers at University of The Bahamas (UB) now have a new industrial agreement governing their employment, with the recent signing of a four-year contract with the Public Managers Union (PMU).
UB and PMU officials hailed the University’s commitment to providing meaningful support and investing in their continued development during a brief signing ceremony held on Friday, 14th February in the President’s Boardroom at UB’s Oakes Field Campus.
The agreement is for the period 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2029, and, notably, has provisions for overtime compensation, financial increments upon promotion, and a reduction in insurance premiums from 40 percent to 30 percent. Middle managers are also now entitled to professional leave valued at $6,000 to cover airfare, transportation, and per diem expenses. Notably, for the first time, middle managers who complete their doctoral degrees will receive compensation in alignment with the terms of the agreement, the PMU announced.
“These advancements represent a positive shift for the middle management bargaining unit, and we are excited to see these benefits come to fruition,” said Ms. Antona Curry, PMU Acting Secretary General and Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships at UB.
PMU President, Mr. Leslie Munnings, shared that although the agreement consists of 40 pages, only one relates to increases in annual salaries. The document comprehensively outlines how the union and UB officials ought to communicate on matters that can affect members or university operations, as well as the importance of balancing measurable productivity with reward.
“This means that we, both PMU and UB, understand that our success is based on much more than money,” said Mr. Munnings.
UB President (Acting) Janyne Hodder agreed. Negotiations, though spirited and frank, were open exchanges that were conducted with professionalism, mutual respect, and a clear focus and appreciation for what is best for the institution.
“I think it’s a sign of community where we can come together and agree on issues of workplace relationships,” said President Janyne. “And, I have every reason to believe that University of The Bahamas is one of the best communities there is. We’re very proud that we have honored each other, worked with each other, argued with each other, but remembered that we are united by something very important—our mission to support and drive national development, to provide quality education to our students, and to engage in research. And it is our mission that drives us every day to work well together and to seek commonality in all our efforts.”
Chair of UB’s Board of Trustees, Mrs. Allyson Maynard-Gibson, KC, said Friday’s IA signing does more than just ensure goodwill between both parties for the next several years, it goes to the heart of UB’s accreditation pursuits with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council (NEACOB), particularly on investing in human capital.
“We’re not only investing in our students, we’re investing in all of our team members,” said Mrs. Maynard Gibson. “And, that is why it is so important to note that we are investing in the development of our team members, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but as a part of the accreditation process, we don’t want there to be any more of us to be outside the door asking to come in.
“We want our team members, because they are members of SACSCOC, to be able to walk into the same rooms in which Vanderbilt University team members, Duke University team members sit, MTSU, University of Miami, all of them, sit. Our team members will be able to walk in as a matter of right, not only because of the accreditation efforts that you’re making, but because we are committed. I say so strongly on behalf of the Board of Trustees today, and it is evidenced in that agreement, that we are going to invest heavily in our team members.”
