Dons abandon trade union action against Colombo VC

June 13, 2013, 10:10 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

The Colombo University Teachers’ Association (CUTA), which at the end of May threatened an all-out strike within two weeks, if newly appointed Vice Chancellor did not step down from the post, have given up their demand as they lack support.

University sources told The Island yesterday that the scheduled strike would not be staged due to the faculty teachers’ unions not supporting the trade union action.

A section of Colombo University teachers opposed the appointment of new VC, Dr. Wijaya Kumara Hirimburegama, who assumed duties on May 27, claiming that it was politically motivated and unethical as his wife was serving as the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

On condition of anonymity, a senior academic, attached to the Colombo University, said that the CUTA’s decision to stop all correspondence with the Vice Chancellor, too, had failed.

"Earlier, we planned not to accept memos or letters from the newly appointed VC, but we cannot do it because the majority of teachers do not like to do so," he said, adding that they could not boycott the meetings with the VC either, as planned earlier.

However, that did not mean that the CTUA accepted Dr. Hirimburegama’s appointment as VC, he said.

The academic said that some teachers believed that it was an appointment made by President Mahinda Rajakapska and it could

not be reversed even if they protested. Another faction of teachers was afraid of being victimised by the university administration for openly fighting against the VC.

The reversed decision would be announced at a future media conference scheduled for the last week of the month, the sources said.