Divisions rock Chanco over Unima Council’s 25% offer

Divisions have emerged within the academic staff membership at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College in Zomba over a 25 percent pay rise agreed by their representatives and the university’s council.

According to a statement released by the University of Malawi Council, Chancellor College lecturers and other staff in UNIMA colleges except the Polytechnic have agreed to the 25 percent offer.

Reliable sources, who attended a meeting convened yesterday by leaders of the College’s Academic Staff Union to report on the deal confirmed to Capital Radio that some lecturers are dissatisfied with the decision by the college union’s leadership to accept the offer without consulting them.

Another sticky point for the discontent is failure by the union leaders to immediately avail to the membership a copy of the agreement that they signed with the university authorities.

It is widely believed among a cross section of the lecturers that the council’s commitment was only verbal and not in black and white as they were made to believe by their leaders.

Initially Chanco lecturers were demanding a 113 percent. They however reportedly advised their union leaders to accept any offer within the minimum ranges of 50 and 75 percent.