The Administration of Upper Nile University, together with the university academic staff association, have on Tuesday lifted the industrial action and resumed lectures.
In September 2022, the Upper Nile University lecturers went on strike, demanding the payment of salary arrears with adjustments to cater for inflation.
During a joint press conference in Juba on Tuesday by the administration of Upper Nile University and the Academic Staff Association, the two bodies announced the lifting of the strike.
“The administration of Upper Nile University would like to inform the general public, government institutions, the students and their families that the indefinite industrial action which was declared by the academic staff association has been lifted immediately today, and all students are asked to attend their classes today,” Vice Chancellor Professor Marial Awou said.
“We take this opportunity to thank the executive body for the academic staff association for accepting the university administration’s call for lifting this industrial action. The university has understood the demands of these academic staff members, which are mainly two; the implementation of new adjusted salaries and payment of annual tickets for staff,” he added.
Vice Chancellor Marial Awou said the government is currently working on the demands of the teaching staff through the office of Vice President for Services Cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi.
“These claims are being tackled by the government and there was no reason at all to declare another industrial action when the government is seriously looking into this. Our minister and our chairman of the service cluster, Vice president Hussein Abdelbaggi Akol is tackling this problem, and hopefully, it will be resolved in favour of academic staff,” he stated.
For his part, Dr. Pio Kur Deng, the Chairperson of the Academic Staff Association for Upper Nile University, said: “We as the staff association of Upper Nile University, would like to inform all teaching staff, students, and administration that the announced industrial action has been lifted until further notice.”
He added, “This decision came as a result of the continuation of discussions of the university staff association, with the council and also the joint meeting with the administration. As a result of that, we have lifted this industrial action as a result of calls from our students because also they understand our situation and they are also standing with us, following our demands.”
Dr. Deng also called on the government to expedite the implementation of salary adjustments. “Once again, we as the staff association are still demanding our adjustment of salaries and the annual tickets. From this press conference, we are calling on the government for immediate implementation of the new salary structure for adjustment and also payment of the annual tickets,” he said.
Meanwhile, Atong Chol Thon Balok, the Guild President of Upper Nile University, said: “I am here on behalf of the students of Upper Nile University to present my gratitude to our lecturers or the academic staff and the administration for lifting their industrial action. We are so grateful. We are happy that we are going to resume our lectures, and I believe our academic calendar is not going to be affected in any way.”
Upper Nile University is one of the public universities in South Sudan. The other institutions of higher learning include University of Bahr el Ghazal, University of Juba, Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology, and Rumbek University.