University of Malawi staff start strike action to push for pay rise

Students at the University of Malawi  (Unima) are likely to face academic disruption as the support staff at Unima, which comprises Chancellor College, the Polytechnic and College of Medicine on Thursday started strike aimed at forcing government to give them 45 percent salary increase.

Lower-paid employees, such as administration staff, security guards and library assistants have downed their tools demanding a pay rise .

University Workers Trade Union president Flanklin Kapani and his counterpart at College of Medicine Francis Mdala confirmed that that they are demanding 45 percent salary hike.

“ We hought long and hard before deciding to take strike action. We want 45 percent because things have gone up,” Mdala said.

It is also understood that academic members of staff will embark on industrial action demanding better salaries and working conditions

The labour dispute  has rocked several institutions in the country of late with staff at  Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) have given the government a seven-day ultimatum to review their working conditions or risk an indefinite strike like the current Judiciary strike which has shut down the courts in the country while parliament staff have threatened to down tools as well.

Malawi Congress for Trade Union (MCTU) said it expects President Peter Mutharika to come up with measures to end the labour dispute that has rocked several institutions in the country.

MCTU President Chauluka Muwake said the Head of State  should show statesmanship and leadership in coming out with measures to end the disputes through peaceful means and collective bargaining.

“The government should meet with leaders of the institutions over the labour dispute to seek resolution of the matter immediately,” he said.

He said Malawi cannot afford to stay without operations of institutions like the courts, universities and the Anti-Corruption Bureau among others.

Muwake therefore appealed to all trade unions in the country to preserve the culture of unionism and support the bargaining process of fellow workers in their quest for social justice.