Industrial action:

SYNES-UB satisfied with strike call response

By Ajongakou Santos in Buea

Athorities of SYNES-UB chapter have expressed satisfaction with the response of lecturers to the strike call that they issued on Friday 8 July 2016. Dr. Abangma, SYNES-UB chapter president said in a posting on Monday afternoon that after monitoring the conduct of the strike he was very satisfied that no lecturer was found on campus for the most part of the day.

                Dr. Abangma said even though some activity was observed on campus it was not conducted or supervised by academic staff. He said he saw some non academic staff invigilating exams.

                But the SYNES-UB president also hinted that given the success of the strike, SYNES could consider suspending it on Wednesday, to give UB authorities some time to consider meeting with their objective demands.

                UB lecturers boycotted the classrooms and stayed away from campus for most part of Monday and Tuesday 11 and 12 July 2016. They boycott action was in protest against the non payment of their bonuses and allowances.

                The lecturers promised to maintain the boycott action until Friday, 15 July 2016, if the authorities of the University remained deaf and dumb towards their demand for immediate and complete payment of all their dues.

                The lecturers resolved to embark on a  strike (the upteenth in under several months) during a general assembly meeting of their trade union, SYNES-UB Chapter, held on Friday, 8 July 2016.

                The meeting was aimed to evaluate the progress made so far with payments of dues owed lecturers, after SYNES-UB wrote to the University’s authorities notifying them of their intention to go on strike, a SYNES release stated.

                In the release issued after the GA meeting, a copy of which was sent to our newsroom, SYNES-UB noted with vexatious astonishment that the asdministration had made only a few payments here and there despite their continued request.

                The lecturers noted that bonuses for extra hours, supervision, leave claims, resitetc had not been paid since the previous year and that the deans of some faculties have remained deaf and dumb vis-à-vis their demands.

                However, SYNES-UB at once hailed some faculties like the F/A, F/S and FAVM that had at least paid the Ist semester research allowance of its teachers, and the F/ED, SMS and ASTI that had also made some significant efforts with respect to the payments.

                “During our meeting, we learnt that a few payments had been made here and there. Some faculties, F/A, F/S and FAVM had paid 1st Semester Research Allowance. F/ED and SMS had made some significant efforts, while ASTI had paid missions,” stated a section of the SYNES-UB release, which regretted that “apart from these, extra hours, supervision, leave claims, resitetc had not been paid for the previous year, and some Faculties had lost count of what they were owed.”

                The lecturers wondered why the Administration was taking their commitment for granted. They noted that in spite of the delays in payment of their dues, they had continued to work for extra hours. Yet when they notified the administration of their intention to go on strike, they were snubbed as if their sweat did not have value.

                SYNES-UB noted with dismay that the treatment reserved for teachers at UB was worse than what plantation labourers were going through.

                UB teachers noted that it is immoral and incomprehensible to think that despite their efforts at work they are still unable to take care of their own children.

                Meanwhile, the teachers have created a strike monitoring team to ensure that no lecturer(s) violate the peaceful strike call or tries to foment trouble. They enjoined their colleagues to show solidarity by staying away from campus, promising to name and shame any teachers who will try to betray the cause.