University Non-Academic Staff End Strike After 72 Days

After a 72-day strike, the Executive Grade of the non-academic staff at universities has decided to end their protest following fruitful discussions with the relevant authorities. The decision came after a meeting with the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Prof. Sampath Amarathunga, where an agreement was reached.

However, the Joint Committee of University Trade Unions has announced that their strike will continue. The committee’s chairman, Dhammika S. Priyantha, confirmed that their trade union action is ongoing.

The strike, which involved non-academic employees from 17 universities and 19 joint post-graduate institutions, significantly disrupted the higher education sector in the country. The trade unions launched the strike in response to several demands, including wage concerns and allowances that were approved in 2017. ( LankaXpress)