Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri yesterday said the trade union struggle launched three months ago by the FUTA had come to a position that only President Mahinda Rajapaksa could resolve it.

Addressing the media at the Ceylon Mercantile UNION (CMU) office after accepting a donation of Rs. 500,000 from the CMU, he said the FUTA was awaiting a positive response from the Presidential Secretariat to start a dialogue with President Rajapaksa.

“We are not ready to accept piecemeal solutions to our demands. We want satisfactory solutions to all our demand and we are ready for compromise. We expect President Rajapaksa’s intervention to achieve a durable solution,” Dr. Dewasiri stressed.   

Meanwhile giving a boost to the trade union action launched by university academics, CMU General Secretary, veteran trade union leader Bala Tampoe yesterday donated Rs. 500,000 to FUTA.

Addressing the media at the CMU office, Tampoe said he decided to make the financial donation to encourage and strengthen the FUTA struggle to win its demands.

The FUTA has launched a brave, courageous and legitimate struggle to win its demands not only for its membership but on behalf of the entire education sector. Therefore it is our duty and responsibility to assist them in any way possible. I believe all right thinking trade unions and other social organisations would take a cue from us and assist FUTA  to continue their trade union action until they will all their demands,”  Tampoe said.

He added the propaganda spread by the government that FUTA was getting help and sponsored by the Tamil Diaspora and the LTTE remnants was totally false. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)