University operations hampered due to non-academic staff trade union action

COLOMBO (News1st) - Operations across state universities and higher education institutes which come under the purview of the University Grants Commission, have been stalled for the 14th consecutive day as a result of the strike action launched by non-academic staff. Speaking to News1st, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya, Upul Dissanayake said operations at the university have come to a standstill. Meantime, R. Vigneswaran, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jaffna said the trade union action did not affect the examination. However, the day to day activities of the university were at a standstill as a result of the trade union action. Professor Lakshman Dissanayake, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo said the many operations at the university have come to a halt as a result of the strike. Over 15,000 non-academic staff are staging this trade union action citing several demands including a solution to the monthly salary allowance. The trade unions request the issue to be solved according to the agreement reached in 2016. Trade unions claim that Minister of Higher Education, Kabir Hashim, has promised to solve this matter before he assumed his duties. However, the trade unions are yet to have a dialogue with the minister to solve the issue they face. The non-academic staff who are engaged in the trade union action launched an island-wide protest opposite all universities in the country.