Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Unions at the University of Zambia say they are currently unable to guarantee any industrial harmony at the learning institution considering the many unattended to issues relating to the welfare of their members.
And the unions have accused the Ministry of Higher Education of micromanaging public universities by directly issuing instructions and policy changes to management as opposed to channeling the same through university councils.
Speaking on behalf of the three unions at the institution namely UNZALARU, UNZAPROSU and UNZAAWU, UNZALARU Secretary General, Dr Kelvin Mambwe says the unions have for the past three years desisted to engage in activities which could have resulted in major industrial unrest, but with the issues currently pertaining, they are unable to avoid industrial unrest.
Dr Mambwe says it has become like a ‘constitutional compliance act’, by the ministry of finance through the ministry of higher education to delay releasing the monthly grant which contributes only 30% to the payroll cost.
He has disclosed that as of today, 5th February, 2019, the January salaries have not been paid yet due to non-remittance of the grant by the government and UNZA management.
He has further disclosed that the university of Zambia owes retirees, deceased and serving employees a total of about 655.9 million kwacha which according to the financing strategy, should be settled within a period of three years starting 2018, but that to-date only 23 million kwacha has been released.
Meanwhile Dr Mambwe says the unions are angered by the ministry of higher education’s direct involvement in some operational matters of the institution contrary to good corporate governance practices.