The chairperson of Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA), Mr Deus Muhwezi Kamunyu has said that strike is always the last option for the lecturers because people they discuss with about their issues are dishonest.
Lecturers in all public universities across the country in May this year announced a nationwide strike over what they called improper distribution of pay rise money.
Over the weekend, Makerere University Business School (MUBS) lecturers declared a sit-down strike over their salaries a week to the reopening of Universities.
They called upon students not to report to their respective institutions expected to reopen on October 15.
Appearing on NBS morning breeze show on Tuesday morning, Muhwezi said before the strike, there are always a lot of meetings between the lecturers and the concerned people.
“Strike is a weapon of last resort. Before this decision was made, there were a lot of meetings. We wanted a chance to put our point across in line with what we heard from the president,” he said.
He said on several occasions, they have written to the Minister of Education concerning their issues but they don’t get any reply which is so painful and frustrating.
“We feel like we are being taken for a ride. The corridors are very dishonest with us. If you commit to pay and then you are unable, we can talk over that. I have a duty before the people I lead. No one can use me; I am driven by duty,” he said.
“A student has always been our partner. We don’t want to lie to the student. We have been struggling to be there for students at all times, and they are at the centre of our decision making,” he added.
He noted that some of the challenges they are facing as lecturers is that the people, they negotiate with think they are unworthy, which is unfortunate.
“We see money. No one ever says there is money and have it because you deserve it. We are open-minded and ready to negotiate,” he said.
According to the lecturers, the distribution of money for salary enhancement should be revised.
They say the distribution which was done by the Public Service Ministry in consultation with the Education Ministry officials leaves behind the pro rata principle as reiterated by President Museveni during their December 14 meeting at State House.
According to the new salary structure for financial year 2020/2021 that was recently released by the Ministry of Public Service for public servants, lecturers in public universities inclusive, of a professor will earn Shs15.6m from Shs8m, while an associate professor will earn Shs14.8m from Shs7.5m.
According to the disputed structure, a senior lecturer will earn Shs8.1m from Shs6.1m, while the teaching staff will earn Shs5.7m from Shs4m.
The teaching staff dismissed the salary structure as discriminatory and warned that the strike will continue until the Shs50b is shared equally.
