NEHAWU Ends Strike at Rhodes University
19 May 2017
The National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union [NEHAWU] has concluded negotiations on salary and allowance adjustment and accepted the revised offer from the management of the Rhodes University thus ending the strike.
The accepted revised offer is a victory to workers in that:
The university has agreed to adjust the cost of living by 6.9% across the board for permanent employees from grade 1 to 17;
Transport allowance will be adjusted by R400 per month for the following employees; food services, healthcare centre, Central Cleaning Services [CCS] and Campus Protection Unit [CPU];
Housing allowance will be adjusted by R1000 per month for all permanent employees from grade 1 to 17;
All employees will be entitled to one afternoon off per month. The arrangement for the taking an afternoon off will be determined by the relevant supervisor and will not interfere with the operational requirements of the section/division/department, subject to the approval and implementation of the applicable leave rules and policy;
The amount set aside for merit awards will be divided amongst all employees within the bargaining unit for 2017. This entails that each employee receive a once-off bonus of approximately R1332 which will be paid in December 2017;
Employees who qualify for the payment must be in service at the date of the payment and the amount will be pro-rated for staff members who joined after January 2017.
The national union will continue to raise sharply the issues related to transformation as raised with the management of the University last month and will not rest until all services are insourced and workers are absorbed permanently by the University.
Once again, we appeal to the university to prioritise and treat its workforce with dignity and respect if it wants to excel as a world class institution.
We warn the management against planning to victimise members and workers who were on strike and workers must be allowed to go back to work with no persecution or intimidation. In this regard, the union would also like to warn the university management well in advance about the serious consequences that will follow should they entertain any thoughts of retrenchments as a strategy to make up for lost revenue. If indeed there is lost revenue and they are in financial turmoil then they should solicit a political intervention for urgent financial rescue plan from government.
We salute members and workers for being resolute in the fight to improve their working conditions and creation of conducive working environment.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat
Bereng Soke (General Secretary) at 082 455 2713; Zola Saphetha (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5968; Khaya Xaba (NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer) at 011 833 2902 - 082 455 2500 or email: khaya@nehawu.org.za Visit NEHAWU website: www.nehawu.org.za
- See more at: http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=12752#sthash.u0L2syJt.dpuf
NEHAWU preparing for strike at University of Pretoria
18 May 2017
The National Education Health and Allied Workers Union [NEHAWU] has served the management of the University of Pretoria with a notice to strike on Monday, 15 May 2017 as required by law.
A deadlock by the two parties was declared in April 2017 and subsequently the union secured a certificate to strike from CCMA on 19 April 2017. Since then the union has been patient with the employer hoping that the university will unlock the deadlock by presenting a new offer on the table for consideration unfortunately that was not a case.
As a result, the union was left with no option but to mobilize its members and workers in order to exercise their constitutional right to withdraw their labour power after serious attempts to reason with the employer failed.
Indeed, workers are ready and the strike kicks off as from tomorrow morning, 19 May 2017 towards a full blown and complete shutdown of the university until our demands are met.
Our demands to the University management are as follows:
Our initial demand was 10% and we later moved to 8% while the employer offered 7% plus R3000 once off;
We demand the introduction of 13th cheques and the offer is to introduce it in 4years and the employer is refusing to bargain on modalities;
We demand the introduction of more medical aid scheme options as there is currently only one option which is very expensive for the workers. The employer want to impose schemes without the input of labour;
We demand the review of Post-retirement medical aid, the employer is refusing as it currently benefits only white staff members.
The un-avoided situation is a culmination of unwillingness and intransigent management which does not take seriously concerns raised by the union about the slave wages paid to workers and their perpetual refusal to address the medical aid debacle. Countless engagements with management has not yielded results thus we chose the option of a total shutdown. Our members will not return to work up until all these issues are resolved and an agreement is signed.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat
Bereng Soke (General Secretary) at 082 455 2713; Zola Saphetha (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5968; Khaya Xaba (NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer) at 011 833 2902 - 082 455 2500 or email: khaya@nehawu.org.za Visit NEHAWU website: www.nehawu.org.za
- See more at: http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=12751#sthash.4PqXRTe7.dpuf
The National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union [NEHAWU] has concluded negotiations on salary and allowance adjustment and accepted the revised offer from the management of the Rhodes University thus ending the strike.
The accepted revised offer is a victory to workers in that:
The university has agreed to adjust the cost of living by 6.9% across the board for permanent employees from grade 1 to 17;
Transport allowance will be adjusted by R400 per month for the following employees; food services, healthcare centre, Central Cleaning Services [CCS] and Campus Protection Unit [CPU];
Housing allowance will be adjusted by R1000 per month for all permanent employees from grade 1 to 17;
All employees will be entitled to one afternoon off per month. The arrangement for the taking an afternoon off will be determined by the relevant supervisor and will not interfere with the operational requirements of the section/division/department, subject to the approval and implementation of the applicable leave rules and policy;
The amount set aside for merit awards will be divided amongst all employees within the bargaining unit for 2017. This entails that each employee receive a once-off bonus of approximately R1332 which will be paid in December 2017;
Employees who qualify for the payment must be in service at the date of the payment and the amount will be pro-rated for staff members who joined after January 2017.
The national union will continue to raise sharply the issues related to transformation as raised with the management of the University last month and will not rest until all services are insourced and workers are absorbed permanently by the University.
Once again, we appeal to the university to prioritise and treat its workforce with dignity and respect if it wants to excel as a world class institution.
We warn the management against planning to victimise members and workers who were on strike and workers must be allowed to go back to work with no persecution or intimidation. In this regard, the union would also like to warn the university management well in advance about the serious consequences that will follow should they entertain any thoughts of retrenchments as a strategy to make up for lost revenue. If indeed there is lost revenue and they are in financial turmoil then they should solicit a political intervention for urgent financial rescue plan from government.
We salute members and workers for being resolute in the fight to improve their working conditions and creation of conducive working environment.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat
Bereng Soke (General Secretary) at 082 455 2713; Zola Saphetha (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5968; Khaya Xaba (NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer) at 011 833 2902 - 082 455 2500 or email: khaya@nehawu.org.za Visit NEHAWU website: www.nehawu.org.za
- See more at: http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=12752#sthash.u0L2syJt.dpuf
NEHAWU preparing for strike at University of Pretoria
18 May 2017
The National Education Health and Allied Workers Union [NEHAWU] has served the management of the University of Pretoria with a notice to strike on Monday, 15 May 2017 as required by law.
A deadlock by the two parties was declared in April 2017 and subsequently the union secured a certificate to strike from CCMA on 19 April 2017. Since then the union has been patient with the employer hoping that the university will unlock the deadlock by presenting a new offer on the table for consideration unfortunately that was not a case.
As a result, the union was left with no option but to mobilize its members and workers in order to exercise their constitutional right to withdraw their labour power after serious attempts to reason with the employer failed.
Indeed, workers are ready and the strike kicks off as from tomorrow morning, 19 May 2017 towards a full blown and complete shutdown of the university until our demands are met.
Our demands to the University management are as follows:
Our initial demand was 10% and we later moved to 8% while the employer offered 7% plus R3000 once off;
We demand the introduction of 13th cheques and the offer is to introduce it in 4years and the employer is refusing to bargain on modalities;
We demand the introduction of more medical aid scheme options as there is currently only one option which is very expensive for the workers. The employer want to impose schemes without the input of labour;
We demand the review of Post-retirement medical aid, the employer is refusing as it currently benefits only white staff members.
The un-avoided situation is a culmination of unwillingness and intransigent management which does not take seriously concerns raised by the union about the slave wages paid to workers and their perpetual refusal to address the medical aid debacle. Countless engagements with management has not yielded results thus we chose the option of a total shutdown. Our members will not return to work up until all these issues are resolved and an agreement is signed.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat
Bereng Soke (General Secretary) at 082 455 2713; Zola Saphetha (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5968; Khaya Xaba (NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer) at 011 833 2902 - 082 455 2500 or email: khaya@nehawu.org.za Visit NEHAWU website: www.nehawu.org.za
- See more at: http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=12751#sthash.4PqXRTe7.dpuf
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