By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said the Ministry of Education is dealing with the issues surrounding the go-slow by University of Zambia (UNZA) lecturers.
President Lungu told journalists at City Airport in Lusaka yesterday shortly before departure for North-Western Province that the Ministry of Education was handling the issues surrounding the UNZA Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) members go-slow.
“UNZA falls under the Ministry of Education and the ministry is handling the problem,” Mr Lungu said.
UNZALARU members started their go-slow on Monday this week demanding that management pays the contractual agreements.
The lecturers and researchers wanted UNZA management to pay their excess class allowances for last term, benefits and gratuity accrued.
UNZA students union (UNZASU) said the go-slow was a source of concern to the students.
UNZASU vice-president Martin Nundwe said in an interview that the go-slow would negatively affect the mood of the students.
“As a union, we are concerned because there has been peace at campus for some time now. The go-slow will affect the mood of the students,” he said.
He appealed to Government to quickly intervene and address the needs and concerns of the academic staff so that normal lessons could resume.
Meanwhile, support staff at Mulungushi University in Kabwe have continued with their protest demanding for an eight per cent salary increment.
The workers have vowed that they would continue with their protest until management meets their demands.
The unionised workers were demanding for an eight per cent salary increment which translated to K360 across the board.
Their protests follow a stalemate in the 2015 negotiations for improved conditions of service between management and the union.
Last week on Thursday, workers commenced their protest following management’s failure to accept the eight per cent salary increment they were demanding.