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On Tuesday, the Brotherhood of Non-Teaching Exempt Employees (HEEND, as per its Spanish acronym) affiliated with the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) declared it will initiate a 24-hour strike starting Thursday in order to push for adherence to the collective bargaining agreement established with the university administration.
“We insist that the administration uphold the validity of the collective agreement, which was negotiated with considerable effort and accountability,” expressed Carlos de León, president of HEEND, in a written statement.
“If there isn’t an immediate resolution, we have initiated a 24-hour strike set to begin this Thursday, October 24,” he continued. “We demand that the administration promptly address the issue.”
HEEND is scheduled to meet at the Conciliation and Arbitration Office of the Department of Labor and Human Resources today, where the union will seek the involvement of the UPR governing board and its chair, Ricardo Dalmau, to ensure the enforcement of the ratified agreements.
According to the union, since the conclusion of the negotiations last December, it has encountered challenges in the application of the collective agreement that took effect on July 1 of this year.
HEEND reiterated its dedication to protecting labor rights and pursuing equitable solutions for all its members.
