Wits to rethink outsourcing after report
THE University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) is set to rethink how it makes decisions on contracting externally for on-campus services.
This follows the conclusion of an independent report on allegations of discrimination against employees of service providers.
Outgoing vice-chancellor Loyiso Nongxa yesterday briefed the media on labour relations at Wits.
Prof Nongxa yesterday said the report stems partly from a “widely questioned and challenged” decision taken in 2000 to restructure the university, which saw the outsourcing of many noncore functions — ranging from cleaning services to transport services — in the interests of efficiency.
However, Wits had since received numerous complaints of victimisation and harassment from workers belonging to service providers concerning their treatment on campus, as well as conditions of service, he said.
Wits had commissioned an independent investigation in March last year, which concluded that Wits had not violated any provisions of the Employment Equity Act.
But the probe had nonetheless raised concerns over poor working conditions for some staff.
Prof Nongxa is due to vacate his position as vice-chancellor at the end of next month, and will be replaced by vice-chancellor designate Adam Habib. One of Prof Habib’s first tasks will be to smoothen labour tensions at the institution, including with academic staff.
Prof Nongxa said a report in 2011 on the efficiency in outsourcing such services had been “inconclusive”.
Wits management was now awaiting the outcome of an investigation into its procurement of services. This investigation would inform future decision making over when services were contracted.
Meanwhile, Wits would be working with its contractors to address the outcome of the report on issues ranging from employee access to university facilities to working conditions, Prof Nongxa said.
There is also a continuing disagreement between Wits management and academics.
Wits management and staff unions — the Academic Staff Association of Wits University (Asawu) and the National Education, Health and Allied WorkersUnion — failed to break a deadlock last year in a dispute over salaries, pay inequalities relative to other universities and research funding.
Wits staff twice embarked on one-day strikes last year.
Prof Habib said yesterday a task team formed to look into the issue of benchmarking academic salaries with SA’s other top five universities was expected to be concluded next month. He also said he hoped this would result in a multiyear wage agreement with academics, which would incorporate issues of incentives and penalties for research. Asawu president David Dickinson said the union was “hopeful” that the task team would swiftly bring consensus on competitive pay, but said it “is still early days”.
Asawu would welcome multiyear agreements, but still had the task of forging a recognition agreement for the union with management, Mr Dickinson said.