UPR President Keeps Communication Open With HEEND Union Amid Demands
Zayira Jordán Conde said both the Classification and Compensation Plan and a collective bargaining agreement approved two years ago remain under review by the Financial Oversight and Management Board.
The short version
- NotiCel reports the HEEND union is demanding approval of the Classification and Compensation Plan and implementation of a collective bargaining agreement approved two years ago
- Zayira Jordán Conde told reporters the plan is still under consideration by the Junta de Supervisión Fiscal after more than two years
- Metro Puerto Rico reports the union closed vehicle access to all 11 UPR campuses on Oct. 8 following a strike vote on Sept. 25
- Jordán Conde said she sent a letter to Oversight Board Executive Director Roberto Mujica seeking next steps on the agreement
Union Demands and University Response
The president of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Zayira Jordán Conde, stated that channels of communication remain open with the Hermandad de Empleados Exentos No Docentes (HEEND). NotiCel reported that union members demonstrated outside the Jardín Botánico in Río Piedras to press their demands.
Jordán Conde said during a press conference at the UPR Molecular Center that the Classification and Compensation Plan requested by HEEND continues in the hands of the Junta de Supervisión Fiscal. Both the plan and a collective bargaining agreement signed by former UPR president Luis Ferrao and approved by the UPR Board of Governors have been under evaluation by the oversight board for more than two years, she said. Metro Puerto Rico reported that the union had blocked vehicular access to all 11 UPR campuses the previous day.
The UPR president told reporters she identifies with the union’s claims and offered to make joint efforts with them, but the offer was rejected. She added that she sent a letter to Oversight Board Executive Director Roberto Mujica asking for information on next steps regarding the collective bargaining agreement. Work continues to finalize the classification and compensation plan for non-teaching and trust employees, which is already under the board’s consideration, Jordán Conde said.
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Lo único que me queda es colaborar con la hermandad porque entiendo y me identifico con sus reclamos.
Our translation: The only thing left for me is to collaborate with the brotherhood because I understand and identify with their claims.
The source's own statement, as quoted by NotiCel. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Strike Vote and Impact
HEEND approved a strike vote on Sept. 25 and has not ruled out activating it if its demands are not addressed, according to NotiCel. Metro Puerto Rico reported that the Oct. 8 action interrupted operations at the campuses, affecting students, professors, employees and services.
Jordán Conde said the university administration had previously called the union to a meeting scheduled for Friday. She reiterated that she will continue seeking alternatives within the legal and fiscal limitations of the institution. When asked if she supported approval of the claims, she responded that the agreement was signed by former president Ferrao and approved by the Board of Governors, “therefore it is part of the structure of the university,” both outlets reported.
Where the sources differ
Both NotiCel and Metro Puerto Rico agree that Zayira Jordán Conde stated the Classification and Compensation Plan and the collective bargaining agreement have been under review by the Junta de Supervisión Fiscal for more than two years, that she sent a letter to Roberto Mujica, and that the union rejected an offer of joint efforts. NotiCel published on Oct. 9 and focused on her statements during a press conference at the Centro Molecular while noting the union’s demonstration at Jardín Botánico. Metro Puerto Rico, published on Oct. 8, reported that the union blocked access to all 11 campuses the previous day after a Sept. 25 strike vote and that the action affected campus operations. Both sources attribute nearly identical quotes to Jordán Conde on the status of the documents and her identification with the union’s claims.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether the Oversight Board has provided any timeline for a decision on the plan or the collective bargaining agreement. They do not indicate if or when the union might activate the strike vote, what specific next steps the university or the board will take beyond the letter sent by Jordán Conde, or the exact number of employees affected by the union’s action. The articles also do not mention any estimated financial impact of implementing the demands.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Presidenta de la UPR mantiene los canales abiertos con la Hermandad de Empleados
- Reporting Con manos atadas la presidenta de la UPR sobre reclamos de la Hermandad
How we checked this
NotiCel and Metro Puerto Rico both covered Zayira Jordán Conde’s press conference comments on the HEEND union’s demands. NotiCel provided additional detail on the union’s demonstration and a direct quote about collaboration, while Metro Puerto Rico uniquely reported the scale of the Oct. 8 campus blockade and its operational effects. All other facts, including the two-year review period and the letter to Roberto Mujica, appear in both sources.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.