Junior staff protest against Lahore College VC

Clerks, sweepers and drivers strike; demand concessions on pensions,benefits.

LAHORE:

Employees of the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) observed a strike and staged a protest on Jail Road on Monday in protest at recent appointments made by the vice chancellor.

Clerks, drivers, attendants and sweepers blocked Jail Road with burning tyres for about an hour and burnt an effigy of Vice Chancellor Dr Sabiha Mansoor, accusing her of misappropriations and abuse of authority in making appointments.

“The university recently made nine illegal appointments,” said Pervaiz Barkat, the vice chairman of the LCWU chapter of the All Pakistan Clerks Association, who led the protest.

He said the vice chancellor had also rehired 13 people aged above 60 in violation of the rules.

Barkat said that the vice chancellor had been ignoring the concerns of lower staff. “We have been trying to meet the vice chancellor to discuss our problems concerning the General Provident (GP) Fund, group insurance, old age benefits and quotas for children of employees but she hasn’t entertained us,” he said.

He added that not one of the 400 employees of LCWU in grades 1 to 16 had turned up for work on Monday.

Hundreds of students who rely on the university’s transport were unable to get to school on Monday. “There was a lot of difficulty because there were no buses,” said Mariam, a BSc student.

“Yes, some students suffered due to the strike and protest, but blame the administration for this, not us. The drivers, sweepers, clerks and attendants unanimously agreed not to perform duties and protested against the vice chancellor,” said Barkat.

Speaking at an emergency meeting after the protest, Dr Mansoor dismissed the protest as an attempt to ruin the good atmosphere on campus.

She said under Article 34 of the University Act, employees were not allowed to form associations or get involved in politics.

Dr Mansoor said the university’s syndicate had approved a Rs1 million Employees Welfare Fund.

She denied making any illegal appointments. “Some administrative seats were filled temporarily but the syndicate will approve the decisions,” she said.

Dean of Science Dr Kausar Jamal Cheema said that the protestors had gone too far by burning an effigy of the vice chancellor.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2011.