{"id":9450,"date":"2012-08-11T18:39:10","date_gmt":"2012-08-11T22:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=9450"},"modified":"2012-08-11T21:43:21","modified_gmt":"2012-08-12T01:43:21","slug":"talks-continue-but-futa-encouraged-by-basli-rajapaksas-positive-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=9450","title":{"rendered":"Talks Continue But FUTA Encouraged By Basil Rajapaksa’s Positive Approach"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Namini Wijedasa<\/strong><\/p>\n

S<\/strong>triking academics emerged from a late-night meeting with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa saying some progress was made\u2014but not enough to call off their five-weeks-old trade union action.<\/p>\n

The government had agreed on principle to several of the demands raised by the Federation of University Teachers\u2019 Association (FUTA). This includes the formation of a Sri Lanka University Academic Service and the need to raise expenditure on education. However, no time frame was given. The government categorically stated there would be no immediate salary increase. Its position was outlined in a draft document handed over to the FUTA team.
\n
\n \u201cThe ball is in their court now,\u201d said Rajapaksa, speaking to LAKBIMANEWS shortly after the meeting ended on Friday night. \u201cWe told them the government\u2019s stand. They got a very positive reply to most of the policy matters they suggested.\u201d<\/p>\n

Further talks necessary<\/strong><\/p>\n

Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga was present at the discussion which was attended by seven representatives of FUTA. The meeting was scheduled to start at 7 pm but was delayed by 45 minutes because the academics arrived late from a public rally in Kurunegala. It continued for more than two hours.<\/p>\n

Nirmal Ranjitha Dewasiri, FUTA president, said the meeting yielded several points on which further negotiations could be conducted. Everything depends on what happens next, he maintained. He was encouraged that Rajapaksa adopted a different approach\u2014in tone, tenor and substance\u2014to that taken by Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake. Government sources also said a breakdown of relations between Dissanayake and FUTA seemed to have worsened the crisis.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe outcome was generally broad and non-specific,\u201d Dewasiri explained. They wanted us to take their response to our membership. We said in order to do so, there should be some specifics.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the government avoided making firm promises on several issues, its delegation did categorically state that \u201can immediate salary increase is not an option\u201d. FUTA wants a 20 per cent increase to the basic salary, effective 1 January 2012, in addition to all existing allowances. They want another 16.67 per cent raise with effect from 1 January 2013.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey (government) implied that this can be included in the broader framework of establishing a Sri Lanka University Academic Service,\u201d Dewasiri said. \u201cWe responded that, in that case, we need an agreed time frame for the setting up of such a service which we can take to our membership.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rajapaksa once again proposed the setting up of a presidential commission to look into complex issues in the higher education sector, including FUTA demands. Academics earlier objected to the formation of a presidential commission saying it cannot resolve the issues raised by FUTA. They maintained that this proposal was a \u201cred herring or a tactic to delay finding solutions\u201d to their demands.<\/p>\n

At Friday\u2019s meeting, FUTA said they did not want the terms of reference of the proposed presidential commission to include \u201cthe very specific demands\u201d academics had put forward. \u201cEven when we met Mr. Lalith Weeratunga on 12 July, we clearly said that there were a number of specific issues for which you don\u2019t need to appoint a presidential commission,\u201d Dewasiri related. \u201cThese include obvious matters such as those related to university autonomy. If these are included in the terms of reference, the process will drag on unnecessarily.\u201d<\/p>\n

Government agrees on education expenditure
\n<\/strong>
\nOne of FUTA\u2019s most hotly debated demands is this: \u201cDelineate a course of action to increase government spending on education that will reach 6% of GDP within the next two years\u201d. This has been broadly interpreted to mean that university academics want expenditure on education to increase to six per cent of GDP within two years\u2014and has been dismissed as impractical in some quarters.<\/p>\n

On Friday, the government delegation contested the manner in which FUTA had defined education expenditure. \u201cThey argued that government education for expenditure was channeled through various ministries such as education, higher education, youth affairs, health, sports, and so on,\u201d Dewasiri said. Thus, a high proportion of government spending did go towards education.<\/p>\n

Rajapaksa said the government was focused on building a \u201cknowledge economy\u201d. \u201cWe said we are not quite happy about the nomenclature,\u201d Dewasiri asserted. \u201cIt is a problematic term with ideological implications. When we (FUTA) talk about education, we mean something much broader. This seems to be a narrow, economic and market centric definition.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the two sides did not enter into a \u201cphilosophical debate\u201d about the term \u201cknowledge economy\u201d, FUTA did raise its concerns. \u201cThey might not have expected that kind of response from us but they said they were willing to accommodate our views,\u201d Dewasiri said. He agreed that \u201coverall policy matters cannot be solved at the negotiation table\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s important is they agreed at the outset there should be an increase in government expenditure on education,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

Yes, autonomy is important<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another significant result of Friday\u2019s discussion was that the government delegation agreed, in principle, that university autonomy should be a very important aspect of higher education.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis issue of autonomy is a crucial one,\u201d Dewasiri explained. It was on this matter that the government and FUTA delegation spoke at length. The academics apprised Rajapaksa and his team about the situation within universities, the behavior of the minister of higher education, officials of the University Grants Commission and various vice chancellors.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important to address the existing situation,\u201d Dewasiri emphasized. \u201cThe conceptual idea of university autonomy has to be transformed to day-to-day practice, to the workings of universities. We wanted more details from Minister Rajapaksa about how the minister (S.B. Dissanayake) will handle our issues. For instance, will the minister change his way of doing things if we agreed to this framework and got back to work? What about the UGC and vice chancellors?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of areas to cover,\u201d he elaborated. \u201cThis includes attitudinal changes, how vice chancellors perceive things and so on. You cannot solve these things through presidential commission. Certain authorities, including the minister, vice chancellors and UGC chairman, are violating university autonomy and this is one of the root causes of all problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this autonomy thing was a sensitive issue, especially the minister\u2019s and the vice chancellors\u2019 behaviour,\u201d he reflected, when asked what issues the two sides spent most time discussing. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t say there was heated debate but I think we wanted them to be more specific on that. However, we could not see a kind of focused approach beyond a commitment to the principle of autonomy but that is understandable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike Minister Dissanayake, Rajapaksa and Weeratunga did not accuse FUTA of being sponsored or manipulated by disruptive JVP elements. The volatile subject of private universities was not discussed. No date has been fixed for the next discussion between the two sides and FUTA has not decided what sort of response it would give the government.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey also wanted to get this over with very soon but we said that we should not be too hurried,\u201d Dewasiri said. \u201cWe think we should not rush because whatever agreement that will be reached should be a permanent one. We cannot agree to some vague thing, go back to work and return to action in a few months. They understood what we were saying and I think they are serious.\u201d<\/p>\n

Come back soon!<\/p>\n

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa urged FUTA to return to the negotiating table \u201cas soon as possible\u201d with their responses to a list of government undertakings handed out during the meeting on Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are ready,\u201d Rajapaksa told LAKBIMAnEWS. \u201cNow they should come back soon. They should not delay because that would be very harmful to the country and universities. The gap between the two parties will increase as they keep fighting for their cause. I think they must take our proposals positively to their membership just as we have managed to convince some of our colleagues.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was the second round of talks Rajapaksa held with FUTA. After the first round earlier this month, he met all the stakeholders\u2014including vice chancellors, other trade unions and ministry officials. It was after this consultation that the government formulated the list of responses that was given to FUTA on Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have given very specific answer to most of their grievances,\u201d Rajapaksa maintained. \u201cWe said that we consider education to be one of the government\u2019s biggest priorities and that it is included in the Mahinda Chinthana. We also made specific references to university independence, not only to one trade union, but at all levels including senate. We suggested that the courses be upgraded.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only thing we have not addressed is individual issues such as those related to personalities with whom they have some differences,\u201d Rajapaksa added. \u201cBut we have touched all policy matters. We agree that everyone must work together to upgrade universities.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of FUTA\u2019s demands is that the government agrees to suspend all existing higher education reform processes until a proper consultative process involving all stakeholders and the public takes place.<\/p>\n

Another is that the government agrees to refrain from politicizing and micromanaging universities so that these institutions can thrive autonomously. Rajapaksa admitted that, \u201cthe best thing is to discuss\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are saying that the consultation process is very important and that every party must be consulted,\u201d he elaborated. \u201cThat is why we have proposed to appoint a presidential commission. It will give some validity and justification to what we are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rajapaksa pointed out that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission gave added validity to the government\u2019s post-war programme. \u201cFor example, the LLRC recommended that we resettle displaced people as fast as possible but even before the presidential commission gave its report, we had started and finished the process,\u201d he asserted. \u201cBut by mentioning it in their report, however, they gave our actions validity and justification.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it is very rare for a government to offer this type of policy framework to a trade union but we have done that,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n

COURTESY:LAKBIMA NEWS<\/i><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Namini Wijedasa Striking academics emerged from a late-night meeting with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa saying some progress was made\u2014but not enough to call off their five-weeks-old trade union action. The government had agreed on principle to several of the demands raised by the Federation of University Teachers\u2019 Association (FUTA). This includes the formation …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘Talks Continue But FUTA Encouraged By Basil Rajapaksa’s Positive Approach’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9450"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9450"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9474,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9450\/revisions\/9474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}