FUTA won’t join strike against power tariff hike
The Federation of University Teachers (FUTA) will not take part in the strike the Co–ordination Committee of the Trade Union Alliance (CCTUA) will hold on May 21 against the electricity tariff increases, The Island learns. It has, however, pledged solidarity with CCTUA.
FUTA sources said yesterday that university teachers were not in a position take part in the planned trade union action because of their 100–day–long strike last year over several demands.
Sources said that academic calendar of universities including examinations, was postponed by several months due to their previous year’s strike to pressure the government to allocate six per cent of the GDP for the education sector, protect free education and grant university dons a pay hike.
“We cannot disrupt the academic programmes of undergraduates,” a senior academic said.
He said however they would give their full support to the scheduled strike as the electricity tariff hike was unbearable for ordinary people. The matter is to be widely discussed at the FUTA executive committee meeting today, he said.
A joint token strike would be staged in the public, private and estate sectors against the recent electricity tariff hike on May 21 as scheduled, CCTUA co–convener Wasantha Samarasinghe said.
The former JVP MP said that nearly 600 trade unions and opposition political parties, including the UNP and JVP, had already expressed their support for the token strike.
The key trade unions that will take part in the May 21 strike are National Trade Union Centre (NTUC), Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS), Postal and Telecommunication Officers’ Union, All Ceylon Trade Union Federation, Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union, Lanka National Estate Workers Union, Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union, All Ceylon Estate Workers’ Union, Public Service National Trade Union Federation, Eksath Kamkaru Sammelanaya, Inter University Employees’ Union.
(Courtesy: The Island)
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That’s great news; this action shows are academics do possess thinking capacity.
The nation should not be let to be held ranson to petty politics of the leftists and bankrupt UNP.
This is a blatant attempt by Wimpy Wicks to enter temple Trees through the backdoor.
Why is Sarath Fonseka silent on this issue?
The LTT proxy party has not joined the protest. Where are they?
A joint force of Bodhu Bala Sena and Ravana Balaya should be deployed to educate the strikers on the emerging moral and social regeneration.
I am sure the BBS/RB can convince the strikers to go back to work and work harder to make our Nation, prosperous instead of causing great inconvinience to the Armed Forces who are rehearsing for the Mahaveera Dinaya celebrations next week.
FUTA means “Foolish University Teachers Association”. Why did they give up the campaign to achieve 7% of GDP for education funding after a 4 month struggle?
That’s agood one Oscar, all the clever University teachers are working abroad. The teachers who remain in SL Universities are the dummies who are unable to get jobs in Universities abroad.
The Senior Academic has said “We cannot disrupt the academic programmes of undergraduates,”.
Where was this guy when they kept Universities closed for 4 months while looking for 7% GDP funding?
Bloggers 1-5 are fearless speakers. Congratulations.
The members of the “Foolish University Teachers Association” are being paid too much salary; they can afford to pay the electricity bills.
A salary cut for the “Foolish University Teachers Association” will be enough to build a new power station or even pay all the money owed by the CEB to the CPC.
This strike is to be conducted on 21 May, two days after the victory celebrations to remember the sacrifices made by Sinhala Buddhist youth 4 years ago in safeguarding the integrity of the WONDER OF ASIA.
How dare you guys refer to our learned academics a “Foolish University Teachers Association” members?
They are the cream of academia.
The decision not to strike with the petty and bakrupt politicians means the learned University teachers are responding to the call of the nation in quickly producing graduates who can drive our emerald isle down the development path towards being the Wnoder of Asia,
Anoma,
Most likely bloggers 1-5 are living abroad and hence are “fearless” of the prospect of white vans coming for them for their utterances! Probably you too are. Get real! Why attack poor university teachers. Most of them are patriotic and hence staying behind to serve the country rather than looking for cushy well paid jobs overseas.
The people behind this strike are the ame people causing divisons between the sinhalese and the muslims.
Their interest is in causing a regime change and follow with divison of the country.
Is the Global Tamil Forum funding this strike?
Gerard,
These foolish people refer to FUTA in their own familiar word Foolish. They are the cream in deed but unfortunately some inefficient academics are there.
gyes who refer FUTA ‘Foolish’, Are you academics or educated people ? I definitely know never.
Do you know that there are genius silent academics in our university staff who discover surprising things in the world , who publish in top journals in the respective subjects in the world ?
If you need , I can list ?