University of Bahr el Ghazal workers call off strike

University of Bahr el Ghazal staff displaying placards demanding salary arrears on 15 March 2022. [Photo: Radio Tamazuj]

Workers at the University of Bahr el Ghazal in Western Bahr el Ghazal State on Tuesday have called off a one-week strike over unpaid salary arrears after being assured of being paid 3 months’ salary arrears by the administration.

Workers at the University of Bahr el Ghazal in Western Bahr el Ghazal State on Tuesday have called off a one-week strike over unpaid salary arrears after being assured of being paid 3 months’ salary arrears by the administration.

The chairperson of the university’s workers union, Rabi Adam Ahmed, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that on Monday they reached an agreement with the institution’s administration that they will be paid 3 months’ salary arrears.

“Professor Peter Atem Deng (acting Vice-Chancellor) called us for a meeting and we confirmed the transfer of the salaries for three months,” Ahmed said. “We have surely confirmed that the money has been transferred into the Central Bank in Wau. The money is now available in the bank.”

He said the workers will be paid salary arrears for September, November, and December 2021.

“We were demanding six months but we have confirmed the three months of September, November, and December 2021 and we are still demanding three months salary arrears of January, February, and March 2022,” he added. “We were demanding the salary arrears due to the hard conditions the workers are facing, but with the arrival of the money, we have called off the strike.”

Last week, the teaching staff at the university downed their tools demanding six months’ salary arrears, regular payment of staff, adjustment of salary structure to meet inflation index, and travel tickets for teaching and senior staff among others.