Staff take uni to court over irregularities

CASUAL workers at the University of Papua New Guinea have taken their employer to court, alleging failure to change their employment status in line with updated employment laws and other irregularities.
More than 150 workers engaged as casuals on oral contracts are claiming that the university had failed to honour a memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreed to in 2007 giving all those who had been employed for more than 12 months at the time permanent status in the public service.
The MoU provides for all re-categorised casual employees to be entitled to
all forms of paid and unpaid leave, salary
and other entitlements within the public service PBSS Grade 1 classification.
UPNG has not responded to email enquiries from The National on this matter and the workers through lawyer NTame Lawyers allege the same lack of courtesy going over six years.
In a writ of summons lodged on Oct 25 the workers are claiming, among others:
l    3% increase to individual base salaries in lump sum backdated to Jan 1, 2007;
l    1.5% increase to the top increment pay point in each performance based salary grade;
l    Revised performance based salary structure;
l    Recreational leave fares;
l    All forms of paid and unpaid leave and other entitlements provided to permanent officers within the public service; and
l    Change of status from casual to permanent employee in the public service at PBSS Grade 1 level.
They further claim that the failure by their employer had deprived them of their right to be subscribed to the Public Employees Association through salary deductions and benefits, right and privileges of contributing to the Nambawan Super Ltd.
The workers are engaged at the university’s parks and gardens, cleaning services and building and estates and have worked for periods ranging from a year to 13 years.
The failure by the UPNG management
to respond to any correspondence for up to six years now has been “perceived as a blatant and contemptuous disregard for the welfare, interest and plight of the silent humble people whose contributions get little notice but which keep the university moving forward year in and year out”, NTame Lawyers said.