Strike cloud looms over WSU midyear exams

THE CCMA has not helped dissolve a stalemate between Walter Sisulu University and its workers.

The university insists it can afford no more than a 6.3 % increase.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and the National Tertiary Education Union (Nteu) have a strike certificate, and they have scheduled a mass meeting at the university’s Ibika campus in Butterworth on Monday.

University spokesperson Yonela Tukwayo confirmed that the university and the labour unions had not reached an agreement by Wednesday, even with the intervention of the CMMA.

“We were not able to reach consensus when we met on Wednesday at the CCMA.

“As things stand the university is still offering 6.3% or a sliding scale where the higher grades get 6% and lower grades get 7% but labour is still saying they want 8%.

“For now we wait for a letter from the unions to tell us of step,” said Tukwayo.

The university currently spends 63% of its budget on its wage bill, which is above the national benchmark of 60%.

The 31 000 students currently enrolled at the university have so far lost an estimated 20 teaching days since January due to their own protest actions, which prompted Minister of Higher Education and Training Naledi Pandor to send a task team to the university.

Yesterday, through her spokesperson their next Lunga Ngqengelele, Pandor expressed her concern with the timing of a possible strike action.

She said she hoped the university resolved its labour issues and resumed academic programmes, especially in time for examinations.

“The minister calls upon the management of the university and the labour unions to speedily find an amicable solution to their disputes in order to minimise any disturbance of teaching and learning,” said Ngqengelele.

If on Monday the thousands of employees affiliated to labour unions Nehawu and Nteu shut the university down and embark on protest action, the university will have to reschedule its entire examination period, which was scheduled to start on Monday.

Nehawu’s Mcebisi Jojo confirmed having obtained the strike certificate but said they would first meet with the workers to report back and hear what their views were.

“We cannot comment much on the issue until we meet with the workers and we get a mandate from the workers,” said Jojo.