Former lecturers seek millions over alleged wrongful dismissal

More than a year after their contracts were not renewed, two former University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) lecturers who believe they were unfairly dismissed are pressing the institution to reach a reasonable settlement and pay what they say they are owed.

The lecturers, whose two-year contracts ended on January 3, 2025, contend the non-renewal stemmed from the university’s belief that they were behind media reports highlighting staff pay concerns and poor working conditions. They argue the decision amounted to wrongful termination and are seeking compensation estimated between $9 million and $11 million each, representing up to two years’ earnings.

One of the lecturers, Dr Veronica Reid, a former faculty representative at UCC from 2020 to 2024, believes the decision may have been linked to concerns raised by staff in two Jamaica Observer articles published in late 2024 and early 2025.

“I think we were fired in retaliation to two newspaper articles,” Reid told The Gleaner. “We had a new president who did not like having the issues of the staff being publicised. There was no reason given for our contracts not being renewed.”

Reid said she and a male colleague had already been assigned courses and teaching timetables for the January semester before receiving letters stating their contracts would not be renewed.

According to Reid, faculty representatives had long pressed management about salaries and working conditions, but discussions stalled after a change in leadership.

“The previous president had agreed to certain things, and there was a salary review which showed that staff were significantly underpaid. After the new president came in, there was no further discussion on those issues,” she said.

Reid denied involvement in the newspaper reports and suggested she was targeted because of her role as faculty representative.

The lecturers said they initially considered reinstatement but rejected the university’s offer.

“They said they were willing to reinstate us, but it was only for four months. That is not reinstatement,” Reid said. “A proper reinstatement would have put us back in the position we expected to be in, with another two-year contract.”

Correspondence seen by The Gleaner shows UCC initially offered four-month contracts, and later proposed compensation equivalent to up to nine months’ salary.

Reid said the termination forced her to relocate to the United States in search of stable employment.

“We’ve been negotiating for over a year,” she said. “At this point, I would settle for one year, but they don’t want to come up to that level.”

The second lecturer, who requested anonymity, said he had worked at UCC for more than four years and had also been placed on a teaching schedule for the semester following the expiry of his contract.

“To me, that suggested my service would have continued,” he said. “There was no issue raised with my performance and no indication that my contract would not be renewed.”

He also argued that the university failed to provide the contractual one-month notice required under his agreement.

“There was no one-month notice given,” he said.

The lecturer said the circumstances surrounding his departure have made it difficult to secure stable employment.

“When I go to interviews, people ask why I left the institution,” he said. “I have no explanation because no reason was given. It leaves people to speculate.”

The 53-year-old said he has relied on temporary work since leaving UCC and has suffered financially and emotionally.

“I’ve suffered numerous damages, not only in terms of loss of income, but also humiliation, embarrassment, emotional distress, and so forth. So I think what I’m asking for is quite reasonable, given the circumstances,” he said.

The National Workers’ Union, which initially represented the lecturers, wrote to UCC demanding a review and reinstatement. In a January 17, 2025 letter, the union argued that contractual notice requirements were breached and that both lecturers, having served more than four years, should be treated as permanent employees under Jamaican labour law. It also questioned the absence of substantive reasons for the non-renewals and called for an investigation, compensation, and a review of employment practices.

UCC maintained that its January 3, 2025 correspondence was notice of non-renewal rather than termination. The university later proposed a settlement equivalent to six months’ net salary for each lecturer and agreed to pay one month’s net salary.

Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees President Vincent Morrison, who now represents the lecturers, said: “I think they have an excellent case. I think the termination is most wrongful.”

While noting that offers had been made, he added: “I don’t think the lecturers want to return to the university at this point. Compensation is the ideal way to settle the matter.”

UCC President Professor Colin Gyles declined to comment on the allegations, citing ongoing discussions.

“I am unable to comment on the specific matter because it is being discussed,” he said.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com