UNIMA lecturers threaten strike, demand 113% salary increment

Lecturers of the University of Malawi (UNIMA) on Monday threatened to take an industrial action against their employers if their demand for a 113 percent salary increment is not met by Tuesday.

Some lectures at the Polytechnic, a constituent one of UNIMA, have already stopped teaching saying there is no feedback from education authorities on their 113 percent salary increment demand.

The development threatens the academic calendar, as the lecturers have vowed not to resume teaching until the matter is resolved.

A letter communicating the issue to the UNIMA’s Vice Chancellor Emmanuel Fabiano has been signed by the Union’s President Uchizi Mughogho and secretary Gift Khangamwa.

In a related development, the Chancellor College Academic Staff Union President Sunduzwayo Madise has told the Nation newspaper that they have set today as a deadline for the government to respond to the demands and effect the salary increment.

Madise said “the 113 percent salary increment demand is in line with the recent devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha by 48.18 percent.”

UNIMA comprises the Chancellor College, Polytechnic, College of Medicine and Kamuzu College of Nursing and until recently Bunda College of Agriculture was also part of it.

There was no immediate comment from education authorities on the matter.