By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –

THE go-slow by University of Zambia (UNZA) lecturers over non-payment of contractual obligations has entered its second week.
This is despite an assurance from management that the demanded payments will be settled this week.
Management at the learning institution pledged to pay the striking workers their excess load allowance this week.
However, University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALRU) president Euston Chiputa said nothing had been paid, forcing the lecturers to continue their work stoppage.
Dr Chiputa said excess load allowance which was being demanded was a small component of what the lecturers were demanding before they could resume work.
“The excess load teaching allowance is the smaller part of our demands, management has sidelined the bigger issues which include the payment gratuity for our members who are on contracts and terminal benefits for those that have retired,” Dr Chiputa said.
He said in an interview yesterday that despite management assurance to pay excess load, the members would not call-off the boycott as the major problems had not been addressed.
Dr Chiputa said management was trying to divert funds from distance and parallel education institute to pay out the excess loan allowance.
“But this might negatively affect the preparation of the examination for these students. The decision by management to divert funds from distance education and parallel institute to pay excess load is merely creating another problem from an already existing one,” he said.
Lecturers and researchers at UNZA were owed millions of Kwacha in unpaid contractual obligations which includes gratuity and retirement packages that had not been paid since 2010.
Similarly, lecturers at Mulungushi University in Kabwe have threatened to down tools should management fail to meet their salary increment demands today.
Copperbelt University Academics Union (CBUAU) president Mwiya Songolo, said the lectures would not succumb to threats by management after they were issued with cautionary letters against their resolve to go on a strike.
Mr Songolo said this during a Press briefing in Kabwe yesterday, warning management to withdraw the ‘intimidating’ letters.
The unionised workers have also raised issues of management awarding themselves hefty salary increments at the expense of the other workers.
“It is unfortunate that management insists that there is no money when the highest paid in management has a salary that if channelled to paying of the eight per cent salary increment the lectures are demanding, it could cater for up to 13 lecturers,” Mr Songolo said.
University vice-chancellor Hellicey N’gambi said the school had various challenges limiting salary increments and could not meet the demands by the lecturers.
Last month the lecturers downed tools demanding an eight per cent salary increment after management offered a five per cent increase.