FUTA strikes conciliatory note after positive missive from Ministry

July 11, 2014, 9:52 pm , the island


By Dasun Edirisinghe

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) yesterday decided against resorting to an immediate strike as the Higher Education Ministry had responded positively to their demands.

FUTA Executive Committee member Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri said that the teachers had decided to resume academic and administrative duties at the Rajarata University.

Dr. Dewasiri, addressing a media conference at the Open University soon after the FUTA Executive Committee had met at the same venue, said that Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne had sent them a letter containing several points.

"We are not totally agreeable to all the points contained therein, but the response is positive as regards some of our demands," Dr. Dewasiri said.

Dr. Dewasiri said the Ministry had named the persons to the Expert Committee to be appointed to do groundwork for a University Teachers’ Service. The FUTA had named its members to the committee one and half year back, he also pointed out.

The senior academic said that FUTA Ex-Co had also decided to raise public awareness of their problems and ask FUTA branch unions countrywide to organise events for the purpose.

The FUTA Ex-Co member said that Rajarata University’s Teachers’ Association had refrained from carrying out their academic and administrative duties in view of threats from some students.

"We decided yesterday to stop the trade union action and for the FUTA to tackle the security threat collectively. That means if they face a security threat hereafter FUTA will consider it as a threat to all FUTA members," he said.

Dr. Dewasiri said FUTA expected to strengthen relations between undergraduates and teachers at the Rajarata University and a team of FUTA would visit the University tomorrow for that purpose.

FUTA President Chandragupta Thenuwara, Secretary Dr. Rohan Fernando and President of the Rajarata University Teachers Association Ven. Olaganwatte Chandrasiri thera also attended the media conference.