UTech lecturers withdraw strike notice
The University of Technology Academic Staff Union (UTASU) has withdrawn a 72-hour strike notice which was scheduled to take effect on Monday.
It follows Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke's invitation to a meeting on Sunday, the group said in a statement Saturday night.
In announcing the protest on Friday, UTASU said the industrial action was triggered by “the extended delays to resolve the critical issues surrounding the compensation review”.
The decision was made at a meeting on Thursday, where the majority voted in favour of the move.
“The withdrawal of services is a direct action aimed at highlighting the urgency of our issues and the need for immediate dialogue and resolution,” the document added.
In January, the lecturers staged a protest over the wage issue. They argued then that an offer from the Government failed to align with the qualifications and the demands of the daily job responsibilities of all categories of staff.
“The inadequacy of the compensation package not only undermines the hard work and dedication of UTech, Ja staff but also poses a serious challenge in retaining and attracting top-tier talent essential for UTech Ja's continued success as the national university. Moreover, the outstanding parity issue for the administrative staff since 2017 needs to be settled," the group said in January.
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