Demands of non-academic staff in next budget after strike

Non-academic staff of all universities called off their strike yesterday after the Government promised to fulfill their demands in the next Budget. 

The decision was taken following a discussion held between the Collective Committee of University Trade Union and Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella. Kiriella had given solutions in writing for seven demands which the non-academic staff had outlined before the strike. 

Kiriella has said the Higher Education Ministry had already received approval from the Finance Ministry to increase the monthly allocation for non-academic staff to Rs. 100 million. It was a central demand of the university staff who had been on strike for two weeks.

Kiriella added that the requested pension scheme for the non-academic staff would soon be formulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC). 

Furthermore, the UGC would also take immediate action to introduce a medical insurance scheme for workers within the entire university system and reinstate the language proficiency allowance. 

However, the Government would not take any disciplinary action against staff who engaged in the two-week strike, the Minister said.