By NAKUBIANA SHABONGO –

THE University of Zambia Lecturers’ and Researchers’ Union (UNZALARU) has vowed that its members will continue with the go-slow until their demands are met.
The lecturers and researchers are demanding that management should with immediate effect pay contractual obligations in terms of benefits, gratuity and excess teaching allowance.
They said management should immediately remit all outstanding Superannuation and National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) contributions and that Government should immediately allow UNZA to charge cost reflective fees or fund the shortfall in full.
The other demand is that Government should pay all outstanding fees for the students that they sponsor.
UNZALARU president, Euston Chiputa said the lecturers and researchers resolved to go on strike because of inadequate funding that resulted into economic hardships that led to a breakdown in industrial harmony at the institution.
Dr Chiputa said this during a Press briefing at UNZA in Lusaka yesterday.
He said underfunding had caused dilapidated infrastructure, insufficient lecture theatres and lack of equipment and teaching resources.
He said the institution was also faced with unfavourable lecturer student ratios comprising 28,000 students against 700 lecturers.
“We, the members of the UNZALARU are on go-slow because of persistent non-payment of contractual obligations to academic staff and the deplorable work environment arising from the continued failure by the Government to adequately fund the University.
“The Government should take immediate action to remedy this situation. Government should allow us to charge cost fees or it should fund the shortfall in full,” he said.
Dr Chiputa said the situation was negatively impacting on the institution and that it could not continue carrying the burden until it became financially stable.
He said the University had been engaging in dialogue with Government since 2005 that had dragged on till now.
The strike action yesterday entered day three.