June 29, 2019
Through: The President of the SU Student Government Dumaguete City
Our Dear Silliman Students,
I am certain that by now you may have already noticed the afternoon gathering “kapihan” being held by some members of the faculty at the east quadrangle of the campus. And you may already be wondering what is going on. The University Administration is currently in a negotiation process with the Silliman University Faculty Association (SUFA) for the 4th and 5th year of the 2016 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
What is a collective bargaining agreement?
A collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a document that contains the agreed salary levels and benefits for the faculty. It is an agreement made by two parties: the Administration and the SUFA. This agreement is effective for 5 years. However, on the 3rd year of the CBA, the parties will negotiate for the 4th and 5th year.
Administration and SUFA in a BARGAINING DEADLOCK
Since May of this year, the Administration and the SUFA have been negotiating for the remaining two years of the CBA. Unfortunately, both panels cannot agree on certain terms. The increases and the other demands of the SUFA are too high it cannot be afforded and sustained. These demands are on top of what the University has already given and needs to sustain. The original cost of SUFA’s demands are unusually high and calculated at Php 194 Million for SY 2019-2020 and 188 Million for SY 2020-2021. While they have reduced it to Php 100 Million in SY 2019-2020 and Php 160 Million in SY 2020-2021, these demands are still not affordable and sustainable. If granted, these will lead to operational losses.
SUFA’s suggestion, increase tuition fees
The Administration does not want to charge you more than what you are already paying. But SUFA suggested to increase your tuition fees in order to accommodate their demands.[1] Increases in tuition, if any, must be reasonable. If we are to agree to everything that SUFA is demanding, each student will be paying on the average of Php 18,224.97 on top of what you are already paying every year. The University does not want to increase your parents’ burden.
How much is the faculty being paid?
Basic pay of faculty members ranges from Php 20,474 to Php 42,621 for 12 to 18 hours/week teaching load. But compensation of a faculty goes beyond basic pay. Inclusive of overloads and other monetary benefits, a faculty member in Silliman actually earns more on a monthly basis, as shown in the table below:
Over the years, the salaries of our faculty have been increasing and will continue to increase. But any increase should be affordable and sustainable.
Attached to this letter is a list of the benefits that the faculty enjoys at present. These benefits include tuition discounts of up to 100% and healthcare insurance of up to Php175,000 per illness per faculty and Php 150,000 per illness for their dependents. Silliman is the only private educational institution that gives a 14th month pay to its faculty and staff. Also, please know that these benefits given to the faculty are costs to the University and paid for by you. The administration has to maintain these benefits. But any increase or additional item now being demanded by SUFA should be affordable and sustainable. Apart from paying our personnel, we have to maintain an enabling learning environment for you – campus, facilities and equipment.
So as we go through this ongoing negotiation process, we are asking for your support and your prayers that the parties will arrive at a package that will be beneficial for all concerned: the University, the faculty and staff, and you – our very dear students.
If you have questions, feel free to contact us through this e-mail address: [email protected].
Very sincerely yours,
EARL JUDE PAUL L. CLEOPE
OIC and VPAA
Silliman University
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[1] See Minutes of the May 16, 2019 meeting.
