UPR workers ratify strike vote for next Tuesday

Hundreds of members of the University of Puerto Rico Workers’ Union ratified a strike vote on Thursday. The strike is set to begin on Tuesday of next week if no agreement is reached with the university administration regarding the medical plan for physical plant employees.

By THE STAR STAFF

Hundreds of members of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) Workers’ Union ratified a strike vote on Thursday; the strike is set to begin on Tuesday of next week if no agreement is reached with the university administration regarding the medical plan for physical plant employees.

“The president’s demand for an additional month to evaluate compliance is neither reasonable nor acceptable,” union president David Muñoz said in a written statement. “The fact is that the documents regarding the process -- with the insurer Triple S having been selected by the Union -- were delivered to the administration [earlier this month], which constitutes sufficient time for the required evaluation. If the new contract does not go into effect on September 1, we will implement the strike vote exactly as ratified by the membership via a voice vote during the Extraordinary Assembly held today.” 

The vote took place during an extraordinary assembly held at the UPR Central Administration facilities at the Río Piedras Botanical Garden.

Muñoz presented a report to the membership regarding the meeting held Wednesday at the Department of Labor with UPR President Zayira Jordán Conde and the legal teams from both sides.

During the meeting, the union defended its right to negotiate a separate medical plan, in accordance with provisions it cites from its current collective bargaining agreement.

Muñoz said the administration once again requested documents for the plan scheduled to begin on Sept. 1, even though the union maintains it had already submitted them on several occasions.

The UPR set Oct. 1 as the deadline to complete another evaluation -- a proposal the union rejected. Muñoz described the extension as an act of bad faith aimed at delaying the effective date of the contract with Triple S.

At Jordán Conde’s request, the union was set to submit the Triple S contract, the Delta Dental plan, and the TransCita agreement on Thursday, after amending them to include the president’s signature.

“Triple S, the insurer selected by the union, saves the University more than $800,000 annually and maintains broader coverage compared to the institutional plan,” Muñoz stated. “The selection was made following an extensive evaluation of proposals received from Mapfre, First Medical, and Triple S, among other health insurers.” 

According to the union, the dispute regarding its authority to select the medical plan reached the Bureau of Conciliation and Arbitration, while the university administration took the matter to court.

The union asserted that court rulings -- including the outcome of proceedings before the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico -- supported its position and upheld its right to select and negotiate its own medical plan.

In the union’s view, the UPR should comply with those decisions and allow the new contract to take effect on Sept. 1.

The union’s statement did not include a reaction from the university administration regarding the ratification of the strike vote or the remarks concerning the evaluation process.