State - FUTA talks end on positive note

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

A crucial meeting to end the ongoing university teachers strike held yesterday between striking university academics and Treasury Secretary Dr P B Jayasundara ended on a positive note with the striking Dons agreeing to call off their strike once they get a framework for addressing their salary issues. The Secretary of the striking Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) Terrance Madujith yesterday said their meeting was successful with Dr P B Jayasundara.

“Dr Jayasundara said he will hand over the proposed framework for addressing the salary issues of university teachers,” he said. “During discussions Dr Jayasundara said the proposed structure will stand to increase the salaries of probationary lecturers and senior lecturers of the universities,” said Madujith.

Dr Jayasundara is to hand over the document concerned to FUTA today.

Madujith said, “Once the document is available to us we will forward this to our Executive Committee who will study what it has to offer and whether it is acceptable to our members.”

Madujith also said their discussions with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa had been fruitful in addressing their policy issues.

He said Minister Rajapaksa agreed to repeal circulars that they described as detrimental to autonomy in the universities. Minister Rajapaksa told us that he will put a Cabinet paper regarding the policy matters raised by us, such as increased funding for education, university autonomy and identifying university teachers under a special category. The Cabinet paper will be submitted soon.

“The minister said a Post Graduate University would be established. Although it was not one of our requests, we all approved his idea,” he added.