University teachers to strike over pay

January 6, 2012, 8:58 pm , The Island.


by Dasun Edirisinghe

University teachers, who did not receive their salary through the budget, yesterday threatened a token strike during the third week of this month.

President of the Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA), Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri told The Island last night they would stage the token strike Jan. 17 or 18.

FUTA executive committeem which met at the Colombo University last evening decided on the trade union action as the government was still turning a blind eye to their reminders even after the budget, he said.

"We will inform the ministry on Monday of

our decision to go on a token strike," Dr. Devasiri said.

University teachers resorted to trade union action to pressure the government to rectify their salary anomalies on March 15 last year. They vacated the volunteer posts, they held in protest, but suspended the trade union action on a government assurance that their salary anomalies problem will be solved through the budget.

Dr. Devasiri said that his association had suspended trade union action four months ago following an assurance given by the government that it would solve the university teachers’ problems through the budget and that their proposals in that regard had been accepted.

Dr. Devasiri said that according to the agreement, the FUTA wanted the salary proposal implemented in three steps as the authorities agreed earlier.

FUTA Secretary Dr. Terrance Madujith said that at the time of suspension their trade union action, the Secretary to the Treasury had, in his letter dated 21.07.2011, clearly stated that the Treasury had no objections to the implementation of the proposals submitted by FUTA such as increasing the rates for setting question papers, marking, supervision, visiting lectures etc.

He said according to government’s promise the salary of a senior professor would be increased to Rs. 143,000 through the Budget 2012, but it was not honoured.