Uni. non-academics continue strike as talks fail

June 12, 2012, 10:15 pm


by Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

 University non-academics yesterday decided to continue with their all–out strike as talks with the Labour Commissioner, officials from the University Grants Commission and Higher Education Ministry had failed.

Media spokesman of the Inter University Trade Union Joint Committee (IUTUJC) Wijayathilake Jayasinghe told The Island that the UGC officials were unable to give an answer, at yesterday evening’s meeting, when the Labour Commissioner asked them to give a time frame for rectification of salary anomalies.

"We are ready to discuss the issue with any government official while on strike," he said adding that they would not stop the strike until given a permanent solution.

President of the Inter University Trade Union Federation R. M. Chandrapala said that the ministry and UGC officials attempted to forcibly stop their strike but they wouldn’t give in until a solution is formulated.

University non-academic staff, including administrative officers, have been agitating for several years demanding rectification of salary anomalies but had been cheated by successive governments, he said.

Additional Secretary to the Higher Education Ministry P. G. Jayasinghe, who attended yesterday’s discussion, told The Island that the Labour Commissioner asked that he be informed of the final decision after consultation with the National Salaries and Cadre Commission and the Finance Ministry.

"They didn’t promise to stop their trade union action," he said adding the ministry cannot promise a specific timeframe for the negotiations with the NSCC.