Higher Education Ministry Urges UASA to Resume Salary Talks
The Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) has formally appealed to the Union of Academic Staff Associations of Public Tertiary Institutions (UASA) to suspend its industrial action and resume negotiations on salaries and service conditions.
The appeal was issued on September 17, 2026, during an emergency stakeholder meeting convened by MTHE following UASA’s declaration of a strike across public tertiary institutions.
The session brought together university leaders alongside representatives from the Wages and Compensation Commission (WCC), the Ministry of Employment and Labour, and the Sierra Leone Labour Congress.
Deputy Minister Sarjoh Aziz Kamara stated that the meeting served to brief leadership on engagements with UASA and establish measures ensuring institutional continuity.
WCC Director of Compensation Jeremiah B. Ademokula reported that a technical assessment of UASA’s wage demands against budget constraints was submitted to the Ministry of Finance on September 11 to set the ground for upcoming joint negotiations.
MTHE highlighted that the central government currently subsidizes approximately 83 percent of public university staff payroll, with individual institutions funding the remaining 17 percent.
Minister Dr. Ramatulai Wurie noted that UASA initially sought a 500 percent salary increase before revising its request to 100 percent, which remains under active review relative to fiscal capacity.
Dr. Wurie clarified that proposals regarding general conditions of service were redirected to individual university councils for standardization, while core salary adjustments remain under the purview of the WCC.
Addressing the timing of the strike, Dr. Wurie expressed concern over industrial action taking place concurrently with active discussions, referencing Section 64(3) of the Industrial Relations and Trade Union Act 2023 to underscore statutory dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Deputy Minister of Labour Lansana M. Dumbuya reiterated the need for social dialogue, noting that while WCC oversees salary benchmarking, the Labour Ministry provides mediation to resolve disputes.
Marx Conteh, Secretary of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, acknowledged the union's economic concerns and affirmed that ongoing negotiations provide the most viable path to prevent prolonged disruption across the tertiary education sector.
The Government concluded by reaffirming its commitment to constructive engagement and established statutory processes to achieve a resolution with UASA.
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