SAITM issue: NTUC in talks with FUTA, non-academic Uni staff

13 October 2017 09:25 pm

National Trade Union Centre Chairman K.D. Lal Kantha said today that they were in talks with Federation of University Teachers' Association (FUTA) and non-academic staff of universities to get their support for the struggle against the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM).

He said the SAITM issue was connected to both the education and health sectors and that a joint struggle should be carried out by the trade unions of those two sectors.

“FUTA is with us opinion-wise. But they have not actively engaged with us. We are holding discussions with them to convince them to join our struggle,” he said.

Speaking at the National Convention of the Ceylon Teachers' Service Union, he said the SAITM had now become a national issue with university students, teachers, vice chancellors and parents of some universities coming forward to protest against its existence.

He said only Ministers Rajith Senaratne, Lakshman Kiriella and S.B. Dissanayake were still supporting the SAITM. (Ajith Siriwardana)