By George M.O. Wiliams
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone: The Union of Academic Staff Associations (UASA) has strongly challenged the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education’s (MTHE) recent press release on the ongoing salary review dispute, accusing the ministry of inconsistency and failing to present a concrete proposal to resolve the standoff with academic staff.
In a detailed response issued by its Executive, UASA defended its legitimacy as a negotiating body and criticized what it described as contradictory attempts by the ministry to question the union’s legal standing while simultaneously engaging it in negotiations over the welfare and conditions of service of lecturers in public tertiary institutions.
The union argued that MTHE’s continued engagement with UASA over the years, including negotiations that resulted in severance benefit payments to staff at Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology (EBKUST), Eastern Technical University (ETU), Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU), and Freetown Polytechnic (FP), undermines any suggestion that the union lacks the authority to represent academic staff.
Addressing the government’s widely publicized 75 percent salary increase for lecturers, UASA said the increment was not a unilateral government concession but the result of negotiations undertaken by the union under the leadership of Dr. Williette James. The union noted that the increase came after several years of salary stagnation and should be viewed within its broader historical context.
UASA further justified its current demand for a 100 percent salary increase, stating that academic staff have gone almost five years without a new negotiated salary settlement despite rising living costs and increasing professional responsibilities.
“The welfare of academic staff should be addressed through a sustainable and predictable remuneration framework rather than through prolonged periods of stagnation followed by protracted negotiations,” the statement noted.
The union also defended its decision to issue a 21-day strike notice, insisting that the move was not intended to derail negotiations but was taken after repeated efforts to secure meaningful engagement failed to produce results.
According to UASA, despite requesting a 100 percent salary increase, the ministry did not present any formal counteroffer, including what percentage increase government considered affordable or a timetable for implementation.
The union expressed concern that authorities only seriously engaged with the strike notice when the notice period was already halfway to expiration, raising questions about the urgency accorded to the concerns of lecturers.
UASA maintained that successful negotiations require more than meetings and assurances, stressing that meaningful progress can only be achieved through concrete proposals and clear commitments.
The association also criticized what it described as attempts to pressure academic staff into returning to work without addressing the substantive issues driving the industrial action. It warned that coercive measures would not resolve the underlying grievances related to salaries, conditions of service and professional dignity.
In addition, UASA voiced concern over the tone of recent public statements issued during the dispute, arguing that overt or implied threats against academic staff associations risk undermining freedom of association, academic freedom and constructive industrial relations.
The union called on the ministry and other stakeholders to ensure that public communications encourage dialogue rather than confrontation.
Reaffirming its commitment to negotiations, UASA stressed that industrial action is not an end in itself but a tool aimed at securing a fair and reasonable settlement.
The union urged MTHE to move beyond general assurances and table a specific salary proposal, outlining the percentage increase government considers financially viable as well as a clear implementation framework.
According to UASA, resolving the current impasse will require good-faith engagement, mutual respect and practical solutions that safeguard the welfare and professional interests of academic staff while ensuring stability within Sierra Leone’s tertiary education sector.
“We remain committed to genuine negotiations as the most constructive path toward industrial harmony and the continued advancement of higher education in Sierra Leone,” the statement concluded.