UNESWA rejects union’s 6 demands petition
MATSAPHA – A petition presented by members of NAWUSHI to the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) administration was rejected yesterday morning.
The members of the National Association of Workers Union in Higher Institutions (NAWUSHI) had convened at the university to present the petition with six demands, but the university did not endorse it with a signature as it produced a notice, stating that the petition was illegal.
The notice, authorised by UNESWA Registrar Dr Salebona Simelane, addressed to the secretary general of NAWUSHI, noted that the members intended to deliver a petition to the university management on an even date. It was further stated that this was an illegal undertaking by the association when all employees were expected to be at their workstations. “In view of the above, you are advised not to proceed with the intended delivery of the said petition,” reads in part the notice.
Meanwhile, the NAWUSHI intended petition delivery yesterday was subsequent to a membership meeting held on Monday at the Kwaluseni Campus. Resolutions made during the meeting included that the membership had encountered a recurring delay in salary payments for the past few months, extending beyond the stipulated 19th of each month, which was viewed as a breach of the contracts of employment for the workers. The members also noted a growing concern that the university was re-engaging retired staff in certain positions that would, otherwise, be occupied by substantive personnel. The union warned management to
desist from subcontracting work ordinarily performed by substantive staff members.
It was further highlighted that there was continued non-remittance by management of stop orders that had placed members in a precarious position, branding them as high-risk individuals in banks and other financial institutions in the country. According to the NAWUSHI members, this hampered their ability to secure financial assistance due to the employer’s poor payment records.
In addition, the members highlighted that some of the non-remittances continued to put the lives of the workers at
risk, as they were deprived of medical assistance. It was further noted that several meetings were held to discuss a credit scheme offered by a financial service provider to assist in alleviating the financial difficulties of the workers. However, the employer had reportedly since refused to provide a guarantee fund as per a precondition of comfort by the service provider.
According to the members, during the meeting, NAWUSHI, acting together with ALAAP, passed a vote of no confidence on the entire management team last year (March 30, 2023), but the university council had thus far failed to act on that demand, let alone give responses to same.
They highlighted that members of the Maintenance and Refectory Departments were served with letters of non-renewal of their contracts when in fact there had been no constructive engagements with the union on the way forward on the issue to ascertain any remedial options that could assist ensure that there were no job losses.
In response to the university rejecting their petition, NAWUSHI Secretary General (SG) Stanley Simelane said: “We stand by our action because it is a resolution made by members. There is nowhere we are regretful of our decision and we stand that there is no violation we made - we are yet to continue from here.”
Meanwhile, members of NAWUSHI are planning to march to the Ministry of Education and Training, as well as the Office of the Prime Minister on Monday. The purpose of this march is to deliver a petition calling for the university to be placed under the administration of the Ministry of Education and Training, and for a new management team to be appointed. The members also demanded the entire university management to resign en masse with immediate effect, and vacate office within seven calendar days. According to the members, failing which, they would withhold their services.
The NAWUSHI members also stated that salaries should be paid by 19th of every month. They said if salaries were not paid on the 19th by noon of every month, members would withhold their services until full payment was received. The members further demanded that the management desist from subcontracting work that could, ordinarily. be performed by substantive staff members. “To that effect, the workers demand that the contractor currently doing construction work at the student finance offices must stop construction and vacate the site immediately as the processes leading to its engagement are unknown and its offices are also unknown,” reads in part the petition.
Moreover, the members demanded management to remit all stop order monies that were deducted from workers within 48 hours, and failing which, the workers stated that they would withhold their services without any further warning. They also stated that the employer provides guarantee funds to all financial institutions that require such, and as a matter of urgency, provide the same to the service provider that was recently engaged within 48 hours. According to the members, failure to meet this demands by the close of business day on Friday, March 1, the workers would withhold their services.
The workers demanded that the contracts for the Maintenance Departments be renewed and new contracts commence on April 1, 2024. They said this would assist to allow for proper negotiations with the union and for the engagement of a consultant who would do a cost benefit analysis of the impending outsourcing. They further demanded that the employer fully comply with all labour laws in the country.