THE University of Santo Tomas Faculty Union (USTFU) has filed a notice of strike before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) after negotiations with the UST Administration for its 2021-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) reached a deadlock.

The USTFU said that it declared a deadlock because of the university's refusal to release the faculty's share from tuition increases, amounting to over P220 million collected from 2020 to 2023, which, it claimed, violates Republic Act 6728 and RA 6728 and CHED Memorandum Order 8, Series of 2012, which require that 70 percent of tuition fee increases be immediately allocated to the salaries and benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel.

USTFU also claimed that while UST offers an 8.489 percent salary increase, said figure is inflated by aggregating three years' worth of increases and fails to match the 23.9 percent cumulative inflation from 2021 to 2024.

It said the offer disproportionately benefits a small fraction of the faculty, claiming that only 17 professors were set to receive the highlighted back pay of nearly P500,000, while the vast majority of faculty members will receive substantially less.

The USTFU is also demanding a comprehensive health plan or full hospitalization at the UIS Hospital, but management, it claimed, counter-offered with a piecemeal and outdated health care proposal.

The UST administration, the union said, insisted on funding faculty promotions using the mandated Tuition Fee Increment share of the faculty members, a move that undermines the integrity of promotions and diverts funds intended for across-the-board salary increases.

According to the union, its request for a P26 million promotion fund is modest and well within the university's capacity and would increase the proposed salary hike from 8.489 percent to a fairer 11.65 percent.

"The USTFU continues to call for a just and dignified resolution to this impasse. But we can no longer remain silent while the administration withholds what is legally and morally due to the faculty," said Asst. Prof. Emerito Gonzales, president of USTFU.

The UST management, in an earlier statement, denied the allegations of the faculty union as it reaffirmed its commitment to negotiating in good faith.

"We value our academic staff and continue to negotiate in good faith to reach a CBA that is just, sustainable, and aligned with both faculty welfare and the long-term stability of the institution," it said.

The UST administration gave assurances that the impasse would not disrupt the holding of regular classes or university operations.

"We stand in solidarity with all University stakeholders in hoping and praying for a just and swift resolution to the CBA deadlock," it said.

The National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), in its Manual of Procedures for Conciliation and Preventive Mediation Cases, defines deadlock as the "situation in a collective bargaining negotiations wherein parties have not reached a mutually acceptable settlement."

Negotiation ground rules set a "cooling off" period of five working days after the declaration of a deadlock. During this period, "the panels may offer options to resolve the issue."

For a strike to happen, it must first be voted upon by a majority of USTFU members through a meeting or referendum specifically called for this purpose. A formal request must also be filed with the NCMB regional branch at least 24 hours before the scheduled vote.