Former UCC lecturers pursue multimillion-dollar settlement after contract dispute

Good morning Myrie News Media TV family. Thank you so much for tuning in this morning for another news update for Monday, June 8th, 2026. And I'm wishing for everyone a wonderful and a productive day. And in the news of this morning, 83-year-old a dies in Manchester freak accident second in days. An 83-year-old man succumbed to injuries he sustained after he fell from the platform of a water tank at a house on Woodlawn Road, George's Valley in Manchester on Sunday. Police identified the man as Michael Williams, otherwise called Mike, a resident of Comfort District in the parish. A police state that about 11:00 a.m. Williams, while visiting a relative's home, and while doing property maintenance, climbed onto an area where two water tanks are located. Police theorize that Williams missed a step and he fell from the water tank a platform onto a rock, resulting in a wound to his forehead. He was pronounced dead at hospital. This latest incident is the second reported death by misadventure in Manchester in recent days. On Thursday, 60-year-old Robert Dawes died after he was struck by several lengths of steel being delivered by a truck in Balvenie Heights, Manchester. Popular fruit vendor killed in Montego Bay. A well-known fruit vendor was shot dead in Montego Bay, St. James Saturday night. The deceased has been identified as 42-year-old Kevin Pine, a resident of Orange in the parish. Reports are that the pants a body was found about 11:30 p.m. on Miriam Way in the city. The body was seen lying face down with a gunshot wounds. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced a dead. The St. James the police are investigating. Penn was one of three men who attempted to rescue individuals who were carried away by flood waters on April 19, 2022. Despite his efforts and those of his colleagues, a woman, Beran Walters, and her grandchild, Janelle, were washed away by raging floodwaters in the resort city. Janelle's body was later recovered, but Walters has never been found. Former lecturers at UCC millions over alleged the wrongful dismissal. More than a year after their contracts were not renewed, two former University of the Commonwealth Caribbean lecturers who believe they were unfairly dismissed are pressing the institution to reach a reasonable settlement and the pay what they say they are owed. The lecturers, whose a two-year contracts ended on January 3, 2025, contended the non-renewal stemmed from the university's belief that they were behind the media reports highlighting staff pay concerns and the poor working conditions. They argue the decision amounted to wrongful termination and they are seeking compensation estimated between 9 million and 11 million dollars 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 a newspaper article published in late 2024 and early 2025. "I think we were fired in retaliation to two newspaper articles." Reed told The News. "We had a new president who did not like having the issues of the staff being publicized. There was no reason given for our contracts not have been renewed." Reed said she and a male colleague had already been assigned the courses and the teaching timetables for the January semester before receiving letters stating their contracts would not be renewed. According to Reed, the faculty representatives had long pressed the management about salaries and working conditions, but the discussions had stalled after a change in leadership. "The previous president had agreed to certain things and there was a salary review which showed that the staff were significantly underpaid. After the new president came in, there was no further discussion on those issues." she said. Reed denied involvement in the newspaper reports and the 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 4 months. That is not reinstatement." Reed said. "A proper reinstatement would have put us back in the position we expected to be in with another 2-year contract." Correspondence as seen by The News showed the UCC initially offered 4-month contracts and they later proposed a compensation equivalent to up to 9 months' salary. Reed 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 1 year, but they don't want us to come up to that level. The second the lecturer who requested anonymity said he had worked at UCC for more than 4 years and had also been placed on a teaching schedule for this semester following the expiry of his contract. To me, that has 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 1 month notice required under his agreement. There was no 1 month notice given, he said. The lecturer said that 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 the people to speculate. The 53-year-old said he has relied on temporary work since leaving UCC and has suffered the financially and emotionally. I've suffered numerous damages not only in terms of loss of income, but also humiliation, embarrassment, emotional distress, and the 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 them more than 4 years, should be treated as permanent employees under Jamaican labor law. It also questioned at the absence of substantive reasons for the non-renewals and a call to foreign investigation, compensation, and the review of employment practices. UCC maintained that its January 3, 2025 correspondence was a notice of non-renewal rather than termination. The university later proposed a settlement equivalent to 6 months net salary for each lecturer and agreed to pay 1 month 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 wanted 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.

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