26 May 2011
Despite the ongoing trade union action by university academic staff demanding a pay hike, now thenon-academic staff of universities have threatened to opt for tough trade union action if their 'longprevailing' grievances that includes a salary increment were not addressed by the government within 14days.
President of the Inter University Trade Union Alliance (IUTA)R M Chandrapala said that today (26)they informed President Mahinda Rajapaksa in writing about the impending trade union action.
He also said that in addition to the letter sent to the President, they will also inform Higher EducationMinister S B Dissanayaka, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne and theChairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof. Gamini Samaranayake in writing aboutthe decision taken by the executive committee of the Alliance.
“ The salary increment given to all the public sector employees in the year 2006 was not granted to thenon academic university staff. Even the allowance we won following a strike in 2007 has not fullygranted and only 50% of it has been amalgamated to our salaries. Minister Dissanayaka promised togrant the remaining 50 percent to the salary in the first quarter of the this year, but for no avail so far,”he added.
He further said that the B C Perera Salary Commission recommendations have increased salaryanomalies among university staff and that authorities pay less or no attention to their request for adiscussion to discuss about the issue.
Chandrapala also noted that authorities should take immediate actions to resolve the trade union actiontaken by the academic staff of universities demanding a pay hike should also be addressed soon by theauthorities.He also said that the members of their organization is running out of patience and stressed they will optfor tough trade union action once the ultimatum is over.
The IUTA represents about 16 trade unions that have memberships over 10,000 of non academic staffs.
LT
