PRASA & UIA agree to begin negotiations, suspend strike.

Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority Executive President Luis González Delgado

By THE STAR STAFF

Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Executive President Luis González Delgado and Authentic Independent Union (UIA by its initials in Spanish) President José Cajigas Romero announced Wednesday an agreement to begin a formal negotiation process regarding the Classification and Compensation Plan, thus calling off the strike called by the union.

“I am a career employee of the Authority. I have been employed here for the past 15 years and have held various positions within the corporation,” González Delgado said in a written statement. “Therefore, I sympathize with the feelings of our employees, and I have always sought to ensure that they not only have better working conditions but also the necessary tools to perform their jobs more efficiently.”

The meeting between the two parties took place on Wednesday at the Department of Labor and Human Resources with the participation of a mediator. There, the UIA leadership and PRASA management discussed the workers’ demands and agreed to begin a series of meetings to negotiate the terms of the plan.

As agreed, once an agreement is reached between the parties, it must be submitted again to the Financial Oversight and Management Board for evaluation according to established procedures.

As part of the agreement, PRASA will make payments corresponding to Feb. 25, 26 and 27. For its part, the UIA agreed not to carry out any concerted actions such as strikes or demonstrations while negotiations are underway.

“Reaching this agreement is a good start to a relationship that will benefit the Authority’s employees and the people of Puerto Rico,” Cajigas Romero said in a written statement. “We reiterate our commitment to maintaining open communication and a good-faith dialogue while both parties are engaged in this process.”