University non-academics threaten continuous strike unless …

November 20, 2011, 9:42 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe, The Island.

University non academic workers threaten to stage a continuous strike if their talks with Higher Education Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne tomorrow (22) on the rectification of their salary anomalies fail.

President of the Inter University Trade Union Federation R. M. Chandrapala told The Island that the union’s executive committee had been scheduled to meet on Friday to decide when to commence the strike, but that meeting had been cancelled due to the ministry’s invitation.

"We will decide on a future course of action depending on the outcome of tomorrow’s discussions," the union leader said.

Chandrapala said that governments since 2006 had taken them for a ride by inviting them to discussions but the non-academics would resort to trade union action to win their demands in the event of the government’s failure to deliver on its promise tomorrow.

Chandrapala said that university non academics including executive and administration officers had been waiting for the rectification of their salary anomalies for the past six years and they were at the end of their tether. They staged a token strike on Nov. 02.