By Mahamood Fofana

The Union of Academic Staff Associations (UASA) has declared that the ongoing strike by academic staff in Sierra Leone’s public tertiary institutions remains in full force, directing its members to continue the industrial action until further notice.

The declaration comes amid an ongoing disagreement between the Union and the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) over salary reviews, revised conditions of service, and the progress of negotiations to resolve the industrial dispute.

In a statement responding to the Ministry’s recent position, UASA maintained that the strike was not a rejection of negotiations but a response to what it described as the failure of several rounds of engagement to produce a concrete salary offer.

The Union said it remained willing to negotiate a settlement but insisted that the Ministry must move beyond general assurances and present a formal proposal outlining an acceptable salary increase and an implementation schedule.

UASA’s position leaves the dispute unresolved, with the resumption of normal academic activities dependent on further developments in negotiations between the two parties.

At the centre of the dispute is UASA’s demand for a 100 per cent salary increase, which the Union says must be considered against approximately five years without a new negotiated salary settlement.

According to UASA, rising living costs and the declining purchasing power of academic staff have increased the urgency of reviewing lecturers’ remuneration and conditions of service.

The Union also challenged the Ministry’s reference to the previous 75% salary increase as evidence of the Government’s commitment to staff welfare, maintaining that the adjustment was achieved through negotiations under the leadership of Dr Williette James.

UASA argued that the previous increase should not be presented as a unilateral government concession, but rather as the outcome of negotiations pursued by the Union on behalf of academic staff.

The Union further complained that, despite several rounds of engagement, the Ministry had not formally presented a counteroffer specifying the percentage increase it considered financially feasible or the proposed timeline for implementation.

It described the absence of such a proposal as a major obstacle to meaningful progress, insisting that negotiations must produce tangible outcomes rather than rely on meetings and assurances.

UASA has rejected any suggestion that its decision to embark on industrial action demonstrates an unwillingness to negotiate.

The Union maintained that it issued a 21-day strike notice after efforts to secure a meaningful response to its demands failed to produce a satisfactory outcome.

It further expressed concern that the notice was substantively addressed by the relevant authorities only when the period had already reached its midpoint.

According to UASA, the timing raised questions about the urgency with which the concerns of academic staff were being treated.

The Union argued that its decision to maintain the strike should not be interpreted as a refusal to compromise, stressing that industrial action was a means of securing a fair and reasonable settlement rather than an end in itself.

However, it insisted that any meaningful resolution must address the outstanding salary and conditions-of-service concerns.

UASA has therefore directed academic staff across all public tertiary institutions in Sierra Leone to continue observing the strike until the Union issues further instructions through its official channels.

Beyond the salary demand, UASA has challenged what it describes as an inconsistent position by MTHE regarding the Union’s legitimacy as a negotiating partner.

The Union argued that the Ministry’s sustained engagement with it on staff welfare and conditions of service makes it contradictory to question its legitimacy because an agreement has not been reached.

UASA also cited severance benefits negotiated for staff of the Eastern Technical University, Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology, Milton Margai Technical University and Fourah Bay College as evidence of its previous engagement with the Ministry under its current leadership structure.

The Union maintained that meaningful negotiations require mutual recognition, respect for the roles of the parties and a commitment to good-faith engagement.

It also expressed concern over the tone of recent public statements concerning the dispute, warning that language perceived as threatening academic staff associations could deepen tensions and undermine constructive industrial relations.

UASA called on the Ministry and other stakeholders to exercise restraint and prioritise dialogue over confrontation.

MINISTRY’S POSITION AND THE WAY FORWARD

The strike has unfolded amid differing accounts of the negotiations.

In its statement of 9th October 2026, MTHE maintained that negotiations were ongoing when the strike began and questioned the legal basis of the industrial action.

UASA subsequently disputed the Ministry’s account, arguing that the negotiations had failed to produce a concrete salary offer and that the Union had not received a formal counterproposal capable of advancing the process.

These differing positions underscore the outstanding issues that must be addressed before the dispute can be resolved.

UASA has reiterated its willingness to consider reasonable proposals and urged the Ministry to specify the salary increase it considers financially feasible, together with a clear implementation plan.

The Union believes such a proposal would provide a practical basis for renewed negotiations and demonstrate a commitment to achieving a mutually acceptable settlement.

Meanwhile, the continued strike raises concerns about the disruption of teaching, examinations, research and other academic activities in public tertiary institutions.

Students and their families may also face uncertainty over academic calendars, graduation dates and the additional costs associated with possible extensions to the academic year.

The longer the dispute persists, the greater the need for both parties to communicate clearly about the status of negotiations and the steps required to restore normal academic activities.

UASA maintains that its objective is to secure a sustainable salary settlement that protects the welfare, dignity and professional interests of academic staff.

It insists that lasting industrial harmony can only be achieved through credible negotiations, mutual respect and an agreement that addresses the concerns underlying the dispute.

For now, however, the Union’s position remains unchanged: the strike is still in force, and academic staff are expected to continue the industrial action until further notice.

The immediate challenge for MTHE and UASA is to bridge their differences over salary adjustments and the negotiating process, with a concrete proposal and an agreed implementation framework potentially providing a basis for further progress.

Until an agreement is reached or UASA announces a change in its position, uncertainty will continue to surround the resumption of academic activities across Sierra Leone’s public tertiary education sector.