Lecturers suspend TU action

Agreement over several issues :

Chaminda Perera

The Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) suspended its months long trade union action following discussions with the government yesterday evening.

According to Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne, the federation came to an agreement with the government over several issues including the rectification of salary anomalies.

Dr. Navaratne said that the government agreed to introduce a housing loan scheme for university academics at a concessionary interest rate.

Meanwhile, FUTA spokesman Dr. Nimal Devasiri told the Daily News that the government accepted a number of their proposals.

He said that the government also agreed to remove the circular issued by the University Grants Commission by which the members of the academia should forward a notice three months in advance if they want to resign from their existing posts.

"The allowance paid to university academics who are assigned to conduct examinations and correct answer papers is very minimal and the government also decided to increase these allowances," he added.

Officials from the Higher Education Ministry, University Grants Commission and Treasury participated in the discussion.