Universities paralysed by non-academic staff strike
View(s):All activities at State Universities (SU) and Higher Education Institutes (HEI) islandwide, remained paralysed for the 10th straight day, on Friday (20), as the non-academic staff continued their indefinite strike over a salary anomaly issue.
Co-President of the University Trade Union Joint Committee (UTUJC) Dhammika S. Priyantha told Education Times that about 16, 000 non-academic staff members belonging to 27 Unions are on strike across 15 SUs and 15 State-run HEIs. “This is the entire SU non-academic staff workforce. Everyone in the SUy sector, barring Lecturers, are now on an indefinite strike.”
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura has already informed students that all exams have been postponed indefinitely, due to the ongoing strike, and that, dates of the rescheduled exams will be notified via the university website, with a grace period for studies for the relevant subjects.
The situation is the same at other SUs having exams during this period.
Mr Priyantha stated that, in addition to postponement of exams and lectures, induction of new batches of students and research activities have also been affected.
He insisted that the strike would continue till authorities present an acceptable solution, while dismissing accusations that the TU action was motivated by politics, to win maximum demands during the Presidential Election period. “We have been discussing this matter with authorities since September, 2016. We have tried talking to them for three years. This strike was a last resort,” he insisted.
- SJ