Ranchi, July 29: The impasse continues. HRD minister Bandhu Tirkey convened a meeting today to end the strike by the non-teaching staff of Ranchi University (RU), but they refused to participate alleging that the invitation reached them at the eleventh hour.

The demands of the non-teaching staff include better pay scale and increase in retirement age.

Let alone the striking staff, RU vice-chancellor A.A. Khan was also unable to attend the meeting, which was attended among others by the vice-chancellors of Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh, Siddho Kanho Murmu University, Dumka, HRD department secretary J.B. Tubid and HRD director V.B. Singh.

Kanhaiya Mishra, state university/college employees’ association general secretary, said they could not attend since they got the letter late.

“We informed them of not participating at 3pm today. Our president lives close to Bhagalpur and another office bearer lives in Jamtara. It was not possible for them to come at such short notice and attending the meeting without them was of no use,” he said.

“We have requested them to inform us at least two days in advance for future meetings,” he added.

A vice-chancellor who attended the meeting said no dialogue took place as no representative of the striking employees was present.