Fort Hare wage fight back with the CCMA

THE strike by University of Fort Hare workers which resulted in examinations meant for this week being postponed to next month could soon be over.

The university and the workers’ union will meet at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) soon.

Nehawu, which initially demanded a 12% salary increase, yesterday said even if they settled, they would not accept a single-digit hike.

Mzi Lingela who is Nehawu branch secretary, told the Dispatch they were informed by an arbitrator from the CCMA that UFH had made an offer and the parties were meeting tomorrow.

“We were informed that management agreed to meet with us to make their offer. We are still saying we will not return to our workstations for anything less than 10%,” said Lingela.

He said the meeting between management and the union would take place tomorrow at the CCMA offices in Fort Beaufort.

However, UFH spokesman Khotso Moabi yesterday said he could not confirm the new offer and only confirmed that they had been approached by the CCMA.

UFH postponed the remaining exams to the next semester and will be written from July 17 to July 20.

The students were still left with four days of exams when the more than 500 Nehawu members downed tools on Tuesday morning.

The workers barred thousands of students who were supposed to have written their final papers this week from entering the campuses.

The striking workers are demanding a 12% wage increase, while the university offered 6%.

They are also demanding a R500 increase on the monthly housing allowance and an across-the-board notch progression of 5%, but the university say they can only afford a R100 housing allowance and no increase in notch progression.

UFH vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu said the decision to postpone examinations was due to the disruptions by the striking workers, as well as the interruption of the electricity supply and lockouts.

“These are unlawful actions which are not covered by the provisions for a legal strike. Moreover, these actions are having a negative impact on students, who are not a party to the current dispute about wages and staffing matters.

“We considered the possibility of securing the exam process through the deployment of additional security staff. However, Nehawu members from the academic administration division are participating in the strike,” said Buhlungu.