Nehawu NMU staff down tools over salary increment

Less than a week after Nelson Mandela University (NMU) obtained a court order interdicting students from protesting and disrupting classes, staffers took to the streets yesterday over a wage increase dispute.

This once again brought inperson lectures to a halt.

National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) members and staff blockaded the entrance to the university’s south campus for much of the day, burning tyres and branches and singing struggle songs.

The workers are demanding an 8% salary increase.

The university management has labelled the strike illegal.

Rocks were placed on the road to prevent lecturers and students from accessing campus, and protesters could be heard singing “Asinalo uvalo ngalento siyenzayo” (We are not afraid to do what we are doing).

Salary negotiations started in March last year, with the NMU branch of Nehawu allegedly agreeing to lower its initial 10% demand to 8%.

However, the university remained steadfast on a 6.9% increase.

Nehawu branch secretary Mzoxolo Tame said the offer had been rejected and they were now demanding a 1.1% increase over and above the 6.9%.

He said they had gone to the CCMA in August, and maintained they had a certificate permitting them to protest yesterday.

Tame, who maintained the university had the cash flow to heed their demands, and was instead “hiding” and “running” from the issue, vowed to continue protesting until the management engaged with them in good faith.

Nehawu branch chair Manelisi Klaas said the proposed increment did not meet inflation.

“We want to live at least a little bit beyond the breadline, to be able to buy bread, butter and perhaps a drink.

“Now when you give us a percentage below the breadline it means we will battle to even afford transport to work, because transport fees have gone up, especially when you are travelling from New Brighton, Motherwell or KwaMakgxaki.

“It even affects the paying of school fees,” Klass said.

He said while cleaners, cooks and security staff were still present at the university, all these services would eventually cease.

“We understand university is about learning and teaching.

“However, when they [students] are not cooked for, it will affect their learning, so when we withdraw our labour power, one way or another the university will be affected.

“We believe the more progressive unions will soon join us as we move with our strike.”

NMU spokesperson Gower Primarashni said the university respected the right of unions to embark on a peaceful strike, but they would not allow any unlawful conduct by employees, adding that the current strike was illegal.

She said the university’s funds were not unlimited and it was essential for employee costs to be contained at an affordable level.

“A number of industry comparisons are carried out to ensure equitable payment to university employees.

“For these reasons, the university provides its negotiating team with a mandate that is affordable to the university and at the same time considered a fair increase for employees.

“Understandably, employees will always wish for more.

“The bottom line is it must be an increase that is fair to the university and the employees.

“By its nature, protest action is designed to cause some disruption, but what of course is impermissible is action that is unlawful, and the current conduct by Nehawu members is unlawful.”

She said the university had called upon the CCMA to intervene and if that was unsuccessful, the university would have no option but to approach the court for an interdict.

Security was in place yesterday to protect employees and students.

Lectures would in the meantime be held virtually, she said.