University non-academic staff strike called off

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 August 2003, 17:49 GMT]
The non-academic staff of universities in the country Saturday evening decided to call off their three weeks' old strike from Monday as the talks held Saturday between the two ministers, the chairman of the university Grants Commission and representatives of trade union federation concluded with agreements reached on many of the 21 demands put forward by the non-academinc staff, Inter University Trade Union Federation sources said.

Minister of Human Development, Education and Cultural Affairs Dr.Karunasena Kodituwakku and Tertiary Education Minister Mr.Kabir Hashim and the representatives of the IUTUF, University Grants Commission Professor Ranjan Mendis and other related officials participated in the discussion, UGC sources said.

UGC Chairman Professor Mr. Ranjan Mendis said the parties concerned reached a deal over the twenty-one demands put forward IUTUF around Saturday afternoon around 1.30 p.m., sources said.

The IUTUF launched the strike on August 12 putting forward twenty-one demands including the removal of salary anomalies, increase of salary and permanency to causal employees, trade union sources said.

All academic activities in universities throughout the island had come to a standstill due to strike, UGC Chairman said.

The UGC had put off indefinitely all convocations, external examinations and enrolling students to new academic year as the entire administration of university had been crippled due to strike, UGC Chairman said.

UGC Chairman said all universities would be reopened for academic activities from Monday after about three weeks' closure, sources said