National Academic Staff Association (NASA)

The academic staff admitted that they want to see change in UPNG, and thanked the Minister for his intervention.

While the staff welcomed Minister Pila Niningi’s efforts in establishing good governance within the university, they did not applaud his intention to retain the interim chancellor, Jeffrey Kennedy, who is a lawyer by profession.

Since this morning, academics, support staff and students gathered at the Drill Hall to await a response from the Prime Minister’s office regarding their grievances.

The National Academic Staff Association (NASA) requested the Prime Minister to intervene and immediately:

The purpose of their planned withdrawal of teaching and assessment component of work is due to their outstanding 7.5 percent pay increment.

NASA has had continuous meetings with the UPNG Management on the issue as well as Industrial Registrar and the Department of Higher Education, including the Minister.

However, there hasn’t been any positive feedback.

NASA president Emmanuel Gorea told Loop PNG that they will be meeting at 10am tomorrow to confirm the support of signatures for voluntary withdrawal.

NASA president Emmanuel Gorea said they will work as a team to avoid jeopardizing this semester. 

NASA had given September 30 deadline ultimatum for the university management to give a feedback on the outstanding 7.5 percent back payment.

Gorea explained that if their demands are not met, the resumption of second semester maybe in jeopardy, possible boycott of exams and industrial action as a final action for the claim.

Word has been circulating around the UPNG campus that NASA will stop work over the non-payment of its members.

However, President Emmanuel Gorea told Loop PNG that: “Going on strike will be our last resort, if we have exhausted all other avenues”.

“Some of us have not been paid last year and this year,” Gorea confirms. But discussions over their salary issues are already underway with the UPNG administration.

The president stresses that they want the students to complete their first semester as they ‘have been through a lot already’.