CBU LECTURERS REJECT DEAL
Members of the Copperbelt University Academicians Union (CBUAU) do not need the permission or clearance from CBU Registrar, Helen Mukumba, , for them to participate in union activities because it is their constitutional right, CBUAU General Secretary Willie Ngosa has said.
Mr Ngosa has also advised Ms Mukumba to be mindful of the tone and language she was using when addressing the Lecturers because they were not children from a private school or from her Kindergarten.
Mr Ngosa was reacting to an Internal Memorandum where Ms Mukumba warned staff who believe that they are entitled to withhold their contractual services from the university are hereby requested to stay away from the campus forthwith.
The Internal Memorandum which was dated April 7, 2022 and signed by Registrar Helen Mukumba addressed to all Academics Members of staff also said management shall no longer condone the gatherings that have been taking place on campus without the requisite clearance as they are illegal .
The Memorandum was also copied to Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Chief Financial Officer, Deans and Directors also warned the Lecturers that refusal to perform duties was done at staff member's own risk.
But in response, the protesting lecturers through CBUAU General Secretary Willie Ngosa said the CBUAU General meeting held on March 15, 2022 resolved that all Academic members of staff will be protesting starting from 08:00 hours to 17:00 hours because they have rejected the four to five per cent salary increment from CBU management on the basis of that last year 2021 Academic members were offered zero per cent salary increment .
Mr Ngosa said the memorandum from the Registrar was disrespectful and demeaning to the Academic and Research staff, saying moreover the language used in the memorandum was similar to that of a Head teacher or owner of a private school.
"CBU is a Public University and not a private school or kindergarten owned by one Registrar, Helen Mukumba, for her to use such tone and language as if she is addressing little children. Academic and Research staff members must be respected and addressed in a sober and decent language.
"The Registrar must be reminded that CBU does not belong to her and the Saturday management team. Hence
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25 CBUAU April, do not need the permission or clearance from CBU Registrar Helen Mukumba in order for them to participate in union activities because it is their constitutional right,'' Mr Ngosa said.
"The University campus does not belong to CBU management . The directives contained in the Memo dated April 7, 2022 should therefore be ignored with the contempt it deserve,'' he said
He said there was no law that allows the Registrar to command academic members of staff to stay away from the campus or indeed to stop members to gather within the university premises as they participate in union activities
"As employees of the Copperbelt University, we are all at liberty to enter and gather within the university campus and express our rejection of the five per cent salary increment offer.
"To this end, all our members are therefore requested to inform the CBUAU executive in case of any acts of victimization or threats from management or its agents,'' he said.