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Luanar staff strike for 20% pay rise

Employees of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) yesterday downed tools to push the institution’s management to implement a 20 percent salary increment.

Speaking on behalf of staff comprising both academic and support, Winchester Mvula, who is president of the University Workers Trade Union (UWTU) for Bunda Campus, said they have resumed the strike after Luanar management failed to give them feedback by September 9 following their grievances raised in May.

Luanar Bunda Campus

He said Luanar gave the staff 10 percent on their initial demand for 30 percent and pledged to implement the balance by September 9 2017.

Mvula said: “The salaries we are receiving have long lost their buying power; hence, our negotiating for pay rise.”

Luanar registrar Phillip Kaonda acknowledged that there were talks between the staff and management before.

He said Luanar management has asked for a further two weeks to consult with government and university council on the way forward.

The staff concerns are being spearheaded by Luanar’s three unions.

Luanar is one of the country’s four functional public universities. The others are University of Malawi (Unima), Mzuzu University (Mzuni) and Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must).

Recently, Unima was also embroiled in a pay disparity dispute with staff in its other constituent colleges, demanding equality on a 40 percent allowance given to College of Medicine staff undertaking clinical assignments at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), among other teaching hospitals.

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