UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI STUDENTS UNION (UMSU) Providing students a voice, services that are useful and the representation they deserve. MINUTES OF A MEETING BETWEEN UMSU EXECUTIVE MEMBERS AND UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI MANAGEMENT HELD ON 8 th JANUARY ,2015 AT THE UNIVERSITY OFFICE BOARD ROOM CHANCO & POLY OPENING AMID THE UNIMA SALARY SAGA MEMBERS PRESENT Prof. Saka Vice Chancellor Prof. A. Mtenje Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. O. Malunga University Registrar Mr. Jeremiah University Finance Officer Mr. Chilumpha University Estate Development Officer Mr. Machado Deputy UR Academic Mr. Ronald Mhango UMSU President Mr. Alexious Kamangila UMSU 2014/15 UMSU Secretary General 1Mr. Jaston Bulaula POLY President Mr. Dalitso Dulani KCN President 9:30am MEETING STARTS The minutes of the other 4 agendas have been omitted as they are not of immediate student`s interest 1. INTRODUCTION University of Malawi has been facing an industrial action by supporting staff over demand of salary hike which resulted in the Closure of Chancellor College. Again academic staff wrote UNIMA Management to raise their salary within 21 days or face an industrial action. As Polytechnic was 2 days away from opening, The Polytechnic Academic Staff did express their reluctance to perform teaching duties in the circumstance where their demands were not met thereby forcing the indefinite postponement of the already delayed opening of the College. As the Chanco and Poly remains unopened, UMSU`s demand to UNIMA Council to have all the Colleges operation did hit the ice-berg thereby inciting for a call to meet UNIMA Management. 2. BACKGROUND University Leadership proposed the 2014/15 budget with an inclusion of 14% increment for its staff based on the cost of living adjustment while opening doors for negotiations for sustainable improved salaries. When this offer was rejected, the Unions and welfare associations presented counter offers in which the academic staff leadership was demanding an average increment of 42.5% which later was left at 35% as per the Academic Staff joint leadership. It should be appreciated that these demands were being made when UNIMA`s budget provision had already been made. UMSU 2014/15 2Later as the University`s Senior Leadership engaged government through Dr. Goodall Gondwe, there was an extra 6% on top of the already 14% increment that was offered but such was again rejected by UNIMA Staff and such was occurred in the first quarter of the month of December. Meanwhile, the 14% increment was effected back to July such that members received arrears. A three member team of the Council Chair, Vice Chancellor and University Finance Officer together with other senior managers of the other Public Universities participated in a meeting in which Dr. Goodall Gondwe offered an extra 2 billion to UNIMA and 1 billion to be shared to the other 3 Universities (i.e. MZUNI, LUANAR & MUST). This involvement of the entire community of Public Universities despite the reservations being made by UNIMA Staff is as a result of the struggle that was led by CCASU & PASCAW in 2013 where the Academic Staff leadership demanded harmonization of salaries amongst staff members of these Universities (as per the data we have gathered). The extra 2 billion offered by Government on 19 th December meant that UNIMA had an opportunity to make a new offer from what had been rejected. It is therefore from this that the academic staff got an offer totaling to 36% staggered increment to be effected in phases of 14% effective from June and another 22% effective from January which was towards the wage bill only and so no improved perks. Essentially UNIMA in view of the money that was made available to it for the purpose of the proposed increment, the 22% increment was to be based on the June salary. When the staggered 36% increment was offered, UNIMA Staff rejected it with a counter offer that first, the 22% should be based on the December Salary. Secondly, it was proposed that they should have a 36% increment effective from July hence should get arrears as appropriate. On the other hand, as confirmed by PASCAW, a third option was given that the membership would sacrifice arrears from June to December but that the 22% increment should be made basing on the December salary and that they are ready to give a window period to UNIMA of three months to look for the extra 240million for the arrears that would be given in April. UMSU 2014/15 3On 30 th December Prof. Jack Wilima met Staff representatives where he appealed to Union and Welfare groups to accept the new offers and ensure the opening of Colleges on 5 th January, 2015. Upon consultation, Staff representatives of Chancellor College rejected modalities of implementing the 36% salary increase and Polytechnic accepted the offers on condition that Council considers their earlier positions. On the other hand, College of Medicine accepted Council`s offer and stated that they would participate in continuing salary negotiations whereas Kamuzu College of Nursing accepted without any bargain. Finally, UWTU members wrote UNIMA authorities on 5 th January, 2015 on its discontinuation of the strike and resumed duties on that day. 3. UMSU`S POSITION UMSU observes with great concern that there has been poor communication in this struggle on all sides of the parties concerned. Such is intolerable as it leads to Ignorant actions that are detrimental to the students` welfare and of no value to progression of the issues at hand. Secondly, UMSU considers that there was a lacuna in the flow of information from UNIMA Authorities to Staff representatives and down to the membership of the Union and Welfare groups from which all parties are to face the hard face reality. It is from this that UMSU recommends that UNIMA authorities should be so straight to the point to simplify its mathematical communications by stating that a Salary Increment of 25% is being offered effective from the month of July 2014 to June 2015 and that from July 2015 automatically such increment shall rise to 36%. This shall mean that UNIMA Staff are to be given arrears from the month of June to December basing on the 25% increment. Otherwise stating that there is a 36% increment is somehow misleading as the salary hike was being pursued in consideration to high costs back to July. Thirdly, UMSU notes with regret that it was UNIMA Staff that wept in 2013 over Luanar`s seemingly high salary hence initiated salary harmonization such that no UMSU 2014/15 4Public University can pay its members higher as such would be going against the harmonization principle (as per the information we have gathered). From this platform, UMSU believes that UNIMA Staff stabbed itself on the back as their demands can not be accepted if they are beyond what is Universally being accepted in other Malawi`s Public Universities. The controversy here lies in that improving the offer as per granted by UNIMA authorities would demand government to revise salaries of all the other Public Universities which will cost much cumulatively. Sadly, even with UNIMA, KCN and COM Staff have accepted the offer and so has the Supporting Staff Membership. This has an implication that defeats the struggle by Academic Staff from CHANCO & POLY and such demands after other Universities have accepted the same is a mockery considering that it was the same parties that pioneered salary harmonization two years ago. 4. UMSU`S ULTIMATUM From the above outline, UMSU considers the issues from which the conflict is arising as resolved hence demands opening of the Colleges forthwith. Meanwhile, UMINA Management has committed itself to open the colleges within the shortest period of time as it makes further attempts for negotiations before it makes a report to Council which shall make a decision. UMSU lamented to the approach of leaving students on suspense as such is torture and in most cases renders students unproductive due to the instability. It is from this background that UNIMA Management committed itself to provide an update to students` leadership not later than Monday the twelfth day of the first month of two thousand and fifteen in the year of our Lord. 5. CONCLUSION UMSU regrets to note that students` welfare has not been prioritized as evidenced in the fact that most of the battles between Council and its employees affect Students. Whereas the calendar disruptions have a great impact on the individual, the entire UMSU 2014/15 5reputation of UNIMA has been brought into disrepute due to the uncertainties surrounding programs duration. It is our call as UMSU therefore that Chancellor College and The Polytechnic be opened not later than 19 th January, 2015. As last steps are taken, let it be understood by Staff representatives and Council as in the words of Mandela that “Negotiations without compromise, is no negotiation at all”. Yours faithfully, ALEXIOUS KAMANGILA (UMSU Secretary General) UMSU 2014/15
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 06:50:56 +0000
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