Workers at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) represented by the Brotherhood of Exempt Non-Teaching Employees (Heend) gathered outside all 11 campuses Wednesday morning to demand that the university administration implement their collective bargaining agreement and complete their Classification and Compensation Plan.

Heend members approved a strike vote at an assembly in late September.

“We have an approved strike vote, and the Brotherhood is beginning coordinated actions today,” said former Heend president and union delegate at the Medical Sciences campus, Carlos de León.

“We are in the parking lots today; the campuses are not closed. Today, it’s the parking lots. What happens tomorrow depends on the president (Zayira Jordán Conde),” the union leader added.

In a written statement, Heend said the coordinated actions are intended to pressure the university administration to implement the 2024-2027 collective bargaining agreement, which has already been “negotiated, ratified and signed,” and to establish the Classification and Compensation Plan. The plan has already been developed jointly by the UPR administration and Heend, but De León said they have not received clear information about what steps remain before it can be implemented.

“We are not at the gates on a whim. We are here because dialogue has not produced the results our workers deserve and because it is time for the university administration to respond with action, not more excuses or promises,” Heend said in a written statement, noting that they have been demanding the same actions from the administration since 2024.

“Our presence at the gates represents the legitimate demands of hundreds of workers who keep our University running every day. It is also a call to the entire university community to recognize that defending labor rights, demanding fair wages and insisting that negotiated agreements be honored means defending the dignity of work and the future of the UPR,” the union added.

Heend leaders will meet Wednesday afternoon with members of the UPR Governing Board in search of answers, De León confirmed.

Employees represented by Heend were present at the Medical Sciences and Humacao campuses, as well as at the entrance to the Río Piedras Botanical Garden — where the UPR Central Administration offices are located — according to police reports on the protests.

For her part, the UPR president said all 11 campuses are operating.

“We have been monitoring the situation at each of the campuses and units since early this morning. We recognize and respect the right of Heend employees to protest and voice their demands, but at the same time, we have a responsibility to protect the rights of those who wish to come to study and work,” Jordán Conde said in a radio interview with WKAQ.

Heend “has valid demands,” the university president said, acknowledging that its agreements with the UPR have been under review by the Fiscal Oversight and Management Board (FOMB) since 2024.

“A demonstration of this nature should not prevent a student from getting to class or an employee from reporting to work,” she said. “We can only appeal to the Fiscal Oversight Board to proceed with its review of the agreement (...) Their evaluation has taken a long time,” she added.

Meanwhile, Río Piedras interim chancellor Mayra Charriez Cordero said the protest is blocking vehicle access to the campus, but not pedestrian access.

“Academic and administrative activities will continue, in keeping with our university mission. Parking lots at the ROTC and Faculty Residences, adjacent to the ROTC, will be available free of charge. In addition, the Plaza Universitaria parking garage will remain available at its regular rate. Trolley service will also be provided to facilitate transportation from the ROTC and Faculty Residences parking lots to Plaza Universitaria,” Charriez Cordero said in a message to the university community.

“Faculty members are instructed not to penalize students who have been unable to attend their classes on time or complete scheduled work, assignments or assessments. Reasonable alternatives must be provided to allow them to meet the corresponding academic requirements,” she added.

Meanwhile, the administration of the Medical Sciences campus said that neither an administrative nor academic recess has been declared, so operations should continue.

“The administration will continue monitoring the situation in coordination with the appropriate agencies, reaffirming its commitment to dialogue, safety and the continuity of the campus’ academic and service mission,” Medical Sciences said in a press release.

---

This content was translated from Spanish to English using artificial intelligence and was reviewed by an editor before being published.