By Lakna Paranamanna

The university academics said yesterday they would not withdraw the resignation letters which they submitted to university authorities and were awaiting the Vice Chancellors to issue fresh letters of appointments for the academics who resigned from their voluntary posts.

Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) President Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri told Daily Mirror that they had been advised by their lawyers to refrain from withdrawing the resignation letters.

“We have been advised that if we withdraw the resignation letters, it would impact negatively on the trade union action we carried out. The letters were submitted about two and a half months ago and withdrawing them now would certainly weaken the legality of our trade union action,” Dr. Dewasiri said.

He said the FUTA was talking to Vice Chancellors with the intention of resolving this matter and resuming work at the voluntary posts held earlier.

“In spite of suspending our trade union activities, the universities are still unable to resume to academic or administrative activities,” he added.

The university academics resigned from voluntary administrative positions on May 3 as part of a series of trade union action to urge the government to grant them an adequate salary increase. The action brought to a standstill the administrative functions in all the universities. Last Thursday the academics decided to suspend their trade union action after the government agreed to accept their interim proposal.