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State universities’ non-academic staff hopeful of resolving grievances
View(s):Non-academic staff of State universities, on strike for over a week, hope to end their trade union action today, if talks with Deputy Minister of Higher Education Mohan Lal Grero, to be held this morning, provides a satisfactory solution to their problems.
Chairman of Sri Lanka University Trade Union Joint Committee (SLUTUJC) Edward Malwattage said they held two rounds of discussions yesterday, and there was broad agreement on most issues raised by the strikers.
Mr Malwattage said that they expect a solution at their final meeting scheduled for today. Among their demands are a better Employee Trust Fund, reduction in salary anomalies and a proper pension scheme.
Meanwhile, the Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) said that both, Higher Education Ministry and the Non-academic staff unions must quickly resolve their issues, as students are faced with many hindrances to their studies due to the strike.
FUTA Chairman, Dr Rangika Halwatura said the whole university system collapses when the non-academic staff resorts to union action.