ULFA ends strike–cites progress in government’s response

The University of Liberia Faculty Association (ULFA) has ended days of disengagement with all academic activities and agrees to return to class anytime the university administration chooses, saying it sees progress in the Government of Liberia’s and the University of Liberia (UL) Administration’s efforts in addressing the association’s demands.

After receiving a status report from the association’s president Dr. Edna Johnny and her team of ULFA leaders at a well-attended special general assembly held Wednesday, 15 December 2021, ULFA members voted overwhelmingly to return to class.

The special general assembly saw faculty members showering praises on Dr. Johnny and her leadership team for having worked hard with the University Administration and the Government in extension in fighting for the best interest of ULFA.

Dr. Johnny reported at the special general assembly that the Government of Liberia has begun paying ULFA members who had salary disparity issues, noting that “the process is transparent, the process is fair.”

“The formula is there. Once you get disparity you are going to be paid for the third batch. So we are not refusing anyone who brings their slip, but the process is transparent, the process is fair,” said Dr. Johnny.

She said in total 230 persons have been processed for payment as at Wednesday, 15 December 2021.

She explained 175 faculty members’ pay slips were verified on the first day, and out of that, 10 persons’ slips showed that they did not have disparities. For the remaining 165 persons who were confirmed to have disparities, Dr. Johnny said their money was sent to their individual bank accounts.

Dr. Johnny continued that on the next day, the second batch of verification was done for additional 45 persons for which the government has also sent the money to the various banks where their accounts are. She said follow-up is being done regarding payment for the 45 persons.

Further, Dr. Johnny informed ULFA members that earlier on Tuesday, the government of Liberia, UL Administration, and ULFA leadership held a meeting of all the stakeholders in relation to the renovations works on the university campuses. 

She indicated that the stakeholders want the project to start this December and going to January 2022. 

At the ULFA special general assembly, Part-time Instructors opted for a delay in returning to class, but Dr. Johnny requested a meeting with their leaders scheduled, for Thursday, 16 December 2021. 

“We have never ever gone [to] that table without having your interest at heart. As we talked about the full-time instructors, we talked about you too,” she told the part-timers.

She informed part-time instructors that there is a firm commitment on the part of the government to ensure that they get their pay this month just as the full-time instructors.

“You have given us the mandate to go back and fight for you and I assure you as we go back today, we are going to continue doing that. Nothing, we will compromise nothing that will bring forth your best interest,” she assured ULFA after a vote had been cast to return to class.

“And to our colleagues’ part-timers, we are going to have a meeting tomorrow. We are going to push forward your case. We know you have a case. We know how you feel, we will take up the issue,” she said further.

She vowed that her leadership team will not betray ULFA, no matter the odds, saying standing for ULFA means standing for herself.

“… As I said, we can make things happen. We get the power to make things happen, so thank you for coming and let’s reconvene,” said Dr. Johnny.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/liberia-ul-faculties-disengage-again/