Sri Lankan unions betray university workers' struggle

The workers were among tens of thousands of non-academic university staff from the country’s 15 universities who launched an indefinite strike on April 27 to demand the rectification of salary anomalies as well as payment of a promised salary increase and monthly compensation allowance (MCA). The IUTUJC unions shut down the strike on May 7 in return for part payment of the MCA.

In response, University Grant Commission (UGC) went on the offensive, imposing an unprecedented, punitive wage cut covering the strike days. When workers at the University of Colombo protested, the administration suspended nine employees and transferred another eight, provoking a further one-day stoppage on June 4. University of Colombo workers remained on strike. Amid widespread support for action to defend the victimised workers, the unions pledged to call indefinite strike action on June 11.