Just weeks after support staff of the University of Malawi (UNIMA) had a sit-in over salary increment, the workers have threatened to hold another sit-in.
According to a letter seen by this publication dated November 5, 2018 and addressed to University Registrar, there is a breach of mutual agreement by the government on the 10 percent salary increment.
In the letter which has been signed by UNIMA Workers Trade Union (UWTU) president Mike Namandwa, the workers say the UNIMA Council has failed to fulfil several agreements on the matter which were supposed to be done at the end of October.
Namandwa said the two parties agreed that the council would engage the Treasury to fulfill its obligation and that upon consulting Treasury, a meeting would be convened before November but this did not happen.
He also added that UNIMA Council and UWTU agreed that an agreement will be signed by the end of October and this has not been done.
The workers have since threatened to down their tools if the issues are not addressed by Friday, November 9.
“This is early November, 2018 and the council has not met these important obligations. This is a breach of the settlement.
“We are therefore demanding that these obligations should be met by Friday, November 9, 2018. If no action is taken by the council by the said date, then UWTU membership will have no option but to withdraw labour starting from Monday, 12 November, 2018,” reads part of the letter.
These gluttonous strikes will continue in so long as employers continue to pay salaries and benefits to staff that are on strike. How ridiculous, some employees get salaries after being on strike for a full month, sometimes resuming duties for purposes of processing salaries and resuming strike soon after the payments are effected. Cry my beloved country, only country in the world where is happens.