Jumbos woo FUTA dissidents

November 18, 2012, 12:00 pm


by Dasun Edirisinghe. the island

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday reiterated the UNP’s support to the university teachers in their ongoing struggle in the education sector. At a meeting held at the Colombo Mayor’s official residence, the UNP leader lambasted the government for failing to address problems in the education sector. From left (Sagala Ratnayaka, Mangala Samaraweera, Ravi Karunanayake, Kabir Hashim and Ranil Wickremesinghe(Pic by Nimal Dayaratne)

Having decided to form an association of university teachers affiliated to the UNP, the party leadership yesterday initiated a dialogue with a section of university dons.

A delegation led by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe met a group of university teachers at the Colombo Mayor’s residence.

Party General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, MPs Mangala Samaraweera, Kabeer Hashim, Ravi Karunanayake and Akila Viraj Kariyawasam took part in discussions. Kurunegala District MP Kariyawasam told The Island that more than 50 university teachers had participated in the discussion to work out a plan to win their legitimate demands. The two sides would meet again soon to finalize their plans, he said.

Kariyawasam quoted some of those teachers, involved in the discussion, as having said that the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) had betrayed their struggle to win their demands including a pay hike recently.

They had alleged that FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri was taken for a ride by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa to call off the 100-day strike on Oct. 12, and the government had reneged on its promises.

FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri said that the decision to resume work had been a collective decision.