SINU: ‘Proposed strike action is illegal’
"I am not going to allow that to happen." SINU Council Chairman Dr. Culvick Togamana.
-14 days strike notice on
-SINU Council Chairman: “I am not going to allow that to happen.”
-SINU says, “Proposed strike action is illegal”
It is totally irrational for educated people like SINU Lecturers and students to use protest as means for solving issues within the university, says Solomon Islands National University (SINU) Council Chairman Dr. Culvick Togamana.
Dr. Togamana made the statement in relation to the current call by SINU lecturers for immediate removal of SINU Vice-Chancellor (VC), Dr. Ganesh Chand.
The Lecturers Association of Solomon Islands National University (LASINU) and the Solomon Islands National University General Staff Association (SINUGSA) has last Friday given a 14 days’ strike notice for the SINU Council to remove Vice-Chancellor (VC), Dr. Ganesh Chand.
But Dr.Togamana said the two associations were not registered Unions and to simply call for the removal of the Vice-Chancellor with unsubstantiated claims is not illegal.
“The sad thing is that these two associations are not amendable to rationale dialogues or even to recognizes due processes currently in progress, and let the SINU Council sort it out. We are working on it and might take some time, and these association already made up their mind that the VC has to be removed.”
He said social media should not be used as a place to discuss such important issues.
“As a Chair of the Council, I am not going to allow these kinds of unprofessionalism to hinder the national university’s development. We are professionals important issues like this must be dealt with professionally, not to use social media.”
The 14 days’ strike notice started Friday last week after Trade Dispute Panel dismissed the issue, saying it has no Power to remove Mr. Chand.
The two Associations told SIBC News that they are going to withdraw all services once SINU Council failed to meet their demand for the removal of Mr. Chand.
“We call on the SINU Council’s Chairperson to reconsider its decisions, and we have given them 14 days to do that. We will withdraw all services in the university if they do not remove Mr. Chand within this given 14 days.”
SINU Management has this week issued a memo that the proposed strike action or withdrawal of service is illegal.
SIBC News understands, SINU Council met yesterday (Monday, August 10) to discuss the demands by the associations.
by Charley Piringi