UASD back on strike

[NewsWhore]

In spite of strong opposition from students and a tense situation on campus, teachers and employees at UASD began a 72-hour work stoppage yesterday at the nation's oldest university as a response to the administration's failure to find a solution to the health insurance issue. Dean Roberto Reyna described the teachers' decision as "irresponsible" and urged them to return to their normal routines so that students wouldn't lose any more school time. The teachers' union gave the state university authorities until yesterday to decide on the issue or face another strike. The teachers' union wants the University to rescind a health insurance contract with ARS Humano, which they feel was not signed with the teachers' interests in mind, and they would like to run their own ARS insurance. Dean Reyna has responded by saying that teachers should allow for ARS Humano's 90-day grace period to end, after which negotiations can continue, according to Diario Libre. Regardless of the outcome, UASD students might face a longer semester, according to Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Ligia Amada Melo who said last week that the stoppages at the UASD might result in the semester having to be extended to compensate for the loss of school hours, as reported in Listin Diario. Members of the Dominican Student Federation (FED) expressed their displeasure with the strike by marching in protest against the stoppages, and at one point students closed the University gates in an attempt to stop the striking teachers from leaving the campus.

More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)