Strike halts UCT shuttle

Detawu in dispute with management over wage increase, ‘abuse of ’ recruitment policy

JAMMIE Shuttle services at UCT were disrupted yesterday, when hundreds of unionised staff members and drivers went on strike.

Democratised Transport Logistics and Allied Workers Union (Detawu) members, who are involved in a dispute over wage increases and recruitment policies with the university management, downed tools yesterday.

UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said the service was suspended at lunchtime on Tuesday after bus drivers joined the strike by other UCT

staff members, which began earlier in the day.

“The strike is regarding demands for additional payments to residence cleaning staff, who perform seasonal deep-cleaning functions, and for all recruitment processes to be halted immediately to allow the unions concerned to participate in these processes,” said Moholola.

Moholola said some of the staff and students who use the Jammie Shuttle are urged to make alternative travel arrangements.

“The UCT executive remains committed to dealing with the issues that have been raised and finding an amicable

solution,” said Moholola.

He said UCT recognised the employees’ right to embark on protected strike action that was lawful and peaceful.

Union spokesperson Mayibenathi Matwa said, “we want our demands to be recognised by the university management so we can be in one accord”.

He said staff members and shuttle drivers raised their concerns over their payments, working hours, recruitment policies and abuse of resources by their managers since last year, and nothing was done by the university.

Matwa said shuttle drivers were

crying over inconsistent treatment by their transport manager, who employed his friends and people known to him as drivers.

“We as unions are opposed to the recruitment policy used by UCT.

“They are abusing the policy,” said Matwa.

He said the university’s cleaners who perform seasonal deep-cleaning functions and who were instructed to clean the mess in their residences during vacations, requested a R1 200 wage increase.

Matwa said the striking workers would not end their strike until their demands were met.