UTeachers 22/07/2011
After more than two months of intense struggle what has the FUTA achieved? Seven interim demands were put forward in the FUTA interim proposal that was submitted to the Ministry of Higher Education on 07/07/2011. Except for removing UGC circular 956 (which should have been removed by default!!) none of the other demands have been met. Even the interim salary proposal has been compromised. Since the conditions attached to the 25% R&D allowance has not been removed the FUTA has only managed to secure a salary of 101,000 for the senior most Professor. This salary cap of Rs. 101,000 for a Senior Professor translates proportionately to only a meager Rs. 68000 for a senior lecturer and Rs. 44000 for a Lecturer Probationary at recruitment. This pittance is grossly inadequate to effectively address the issues of recruitment and retention of quality academics in the University system.
From the inception, academics had been of the clear stand that the Research and Development (R&D) allowance given through the last budget (Budget 2011) was not acceptable as a salary increase since there were conditions attached to it. Academics were under the impression that the FUTA would not compromise on removing all these conditions attached to this 25% R&D allowance. This is clear from the FUTA interim proposal that was submitted to the Ministry of Higher Education on 07/07/2011. By agreeing to the conditions attached to the 25% R&D allowance in effect what FUTA has achieved is a division among academics along salary lines. Those who get 25% more and those who get 25% less. Furthermore this has also cemented the path to political interference at every level of academics signalling the death of University autonomy.
The strength of the academics was clear. Their conviction was clear. Who compromised this strength and conviction? What happened? Have we been betrayed?
