Jaffna university employees' strike to be called off

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 June 2004, 04:17 GMT]
Nine days old strike of the Jaffna University employees is likely to be called off Thursday following an agreement reached between the union leadership and the Vice Chancellor at a discussion held Wednesday afternoon on several demands of the strikers, sources in Jaffna said.

Representatives of the Jaffna University Teachers Union (JUTU), Jaffna University Students' Union (JUSU) and International Tamileelam Students' Federation (ITSF) along with deans of all faculties in the university participated in the discussion.

JUSU and ITSF organized the Wednesday discussion between the parties concerned to arrive at a solution to the strike, which has affected the education of undergrads and other academic activities.

During the discussion, university authorities are reported to have given assurance that they would make all necessary arrangements to find solution to problems faced by the employees. Thereafter the representatives of strikers assured the varsity administration that they would resume work as usual, the sources said.

Another decision was taken at the discussion to appoint a committee comprising representatives of students, teachers and employees of the university with the Vice Chancellor as its head to solve problems whenever arise, the sources said.

The JUSU in a statement commended the Vice Chancellor and representatives of employees union for having reached a consensus in the dispute by adopting a give and take policy in the interest of education of students.

The general council of the Jaffna University Employees Union is to meet Thursday to ratify the decisions taken at Wednesday conference and to call off their strike, according to the source.