January 18, Colombo (LNW): Non-academic staff members of state universities have initiated a one-day token strike this (18) morning to express their dissatisfaction with the government’s decision to raise allowances for lecturers.
Earlier this month, the Cabinet of Ministers approved President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s resolution to increase the study allowance for university lecturers by 25 per cent, with the adjustment set to be reflected in their January salaries.
However, the University Trade Union Joint Committee has raised concerns about this decision, asserting that the salary increase for lecturers has caused unrest among non-academic staff members.
There is need for a comprehensive approach, the committee emphasised, urging authorities to consider raising the salaries and allowances for all employees if adjustments are made in the university sector.
Co-Secretary of the Inter-University Trade Union Federation, K.L.D.G. Richmond, stated that 23 trade unions are participating in this token strike.
Simultaneously, the past week witnessed disruptions in hospital services as various health sector trade unions, including paramedical services, supplementary medical services, and nursing officers, engaged in token strikes.
These actions were in response to the Cabinet’s decision to double the Disturbance, Availability, and Transport (DAT) allowance for government doctors, increasing it from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 70,000.
The series of strikes across different sectors reflects the growing concerns and discontent among various employee groups regarding recent government decisions on allowances and salary adjustments.
