BUAP pension reform proposal and dialogue

Carlos Armando Ríos Acevedo, general secretary of the Academic Personnel Union of BUAP (ASPABUAP), proposed a reform to the university’s pension and retirement system to prevent a projected financial collapse. Officials warned that the current fund, holding 6.5 billion pesos, could lose its ability to pay retirees within four years due to annual expenditures of 1.6 billion pesos.

The proposed reform for the 2025-2027 Collective Bargaining Agreement suggests a gradual increase in worker contributions, starting at 4% of base salary plus 4% for benefits, with a 1% annual increase up to a 15% cap. The measure aims to ensure 80 years of financial stability without affecting current retirees or existing benefits like the 90-day Christmas bonus.

Following the proposal, Rector Lilia Cedillo Ramírez announced the postponement of the vote originally scheduled for October 28. The postponement is intended to expand academic dialogue and include concerns from all active academic members, including non-unionized faculty. Alongside these discussions, the rector proposed a 10% salary increase for hourly professors, who represent approximately 70% of the institution’s academic staff.

To facilitate this expanded consultation, the university must update its registry of participants to comply with legal requirements. In addition to the salary increase via an updated hourly pay scale, the Rector’s package for hourly professors includes the preservation of current bonuses and expanded opportunities for these educators to hold positions in academic, research, and administrative councils. A new date for the pension consultation has not yet been determined.