The non-academic staff members of State universities launched a one-day token strike yesterday (18) morning in protest of the Government’s decision to increase the allowances of lecturers.

Earlier this month (January of this year [2024]), the Cabinet of Ministers green-lit President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s resolution seeking to increase the study allowance granted to university lecturers by 25%. It was decided that this allowance would be included in their January salary.

However, the University Trade Union Joint Committee has taken issue with this Cabinet decision, complaining that increasing the salaries of lecturers has created unrest among the non-academic staff members. “We urge the authorities to raise the salaries and allowances of all in general, if they are going to increase the salaries of the university sector. The Government has created this issue.”

Meanwhile, the Co-Secretary of the Inter-University Trade Union Federation K.L.D.G. Richmond said that this token strike is joined by 23 trade unions.

Elsewhere, the Police fired tear gas to disperse a protest march organised by university non-academic staff near the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.