-As some Lawmakers threaten court action against salaries harmonization
The CDC government’s salaries harmonization scheme, which takes effect even before the 2019/2020 national fiscal budget is passed, has again backed fire, triggering a strike action by faculty and staff of the Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County.
A group under the banner, Concerned Employees of Tubman University, on Tuesday began a go slow action, after concluding a meeting at this state owned university’s campus on August 20, 2019.
The salaries harmonization is seen the pay of some people in government at a certain scale reduced and this has led some Lawmakers to threaten to take the Executive Branch of government to court for effecting the change, in the absence of the new budget being passed into law.
The Executive Mansion had said this is necessary given the huge disparity in salaries in various categories of the government’s bureaucracy during the past regime.
Montserrado County District # 11 Representative, Richard Koon is one of the lawmakers from the opposition Collaborating Political Parties is one of those behind the planned court action. Appearing on the private OK Fm morning talk show on Wednesday, Rep. Koon said it was wrong for the Executive to begin effecting the pay harmonization scheme at this time.
The Concerned Employees of Tubman University concluded a meeting with the administration of the government’s second University based in the Southeastern Liberian city of Harper by rejecting the scheme.
Their position statement presented to the University’s administration reads:
“We the Concerned Employees of Tubman University, given the current economic hardship that we are currently going through, especially in Maryland County which is over 700 KM from Monrovia; Considering the almost complete disconnection from the rest of the country for six months of the year( rainy season); Have therefore met, discussed, and agreed to demand the following:
1. Salary Payment a. That our salaries and for the month of July be paid immediately, and uncut b. That our salaries for the month of August be paid on time, and uncut
2. Zero Cut a. That the budget of Tubman University be increased rather than cut b. That any plan of proposed cut of salaries of employees of Tubman University be abandoned with immediate effect
3. Restitution of Previous deductions a. That the 3.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% cut on salaries be reimbursed with immediate effect In keeping with the above, we are hereby announcing an indefinite strike action effective immediately beginning today August 20,2019.
We therefore call on all TU Employees to observe this civil disobedience by staying away from work until all of our demands are met.
Signed Concerned Employees of Tubman University
CC: VPA CC: VPAA CC: PRESS”