The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) is calling on the Federal Government to release withheld salaries, third-party deductions, and Earned Academic Allowances. CONUA claims they weren’t part of the strike that led to the withheld salaries, citing the National Industrial Court’s judgment that recognizes them as an independent union .
Key Demands by CONUA:
• Payment of Withheld Salaries: Release three and a half months’ salaries withheld due to the strike by another academic staff union.
• Third-Party Deductions: Release third-party deductions for April, May, and June 2022.
• Earned Academic Allowances: Release EAA for excess work done by academics in federal universities.
• Inclusion in Renegotiation Committee: Include CONUA in the committee renegotiating the 2009 agreement between university workers and the government.
• Promotion Arrears: Address promotion arrears spanning up to seven years for some academic staff.
CONUA also expressed concerns about the minimum age for admission into higher institutions, suggesting it shouldn’t start next year and should be reviewed with input from stakeholders to strengthen the 6-3-3-4 system . Interestingly, the Minister of Education initially announced a minimum age requirement of 18 years for admission into tertiary institutions but later revised it to 16 years following backlash .
