WSU staff continue strike action

VIOLENT strike action continued yesterday at Walter Sisulu University as angry staff members burnt more tyres at the College Street campus.

This comes after a meeting between labour unions and the university’s management ended without success.

At the top of the workers’ grievances was the issue of salary increases and absorbing contract workers, some of whom have been on contract since 2008.

Initially staff had wanted an 18% increase last year, but were granted only 5% and told a further increase would be implemented this year.

National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union’s Ntombozuko Memani said staff members were angry about breach of contract by the management.

“Last year we got a once-off 5% increase which was conditional and the management promised implementation would take place in January but that did not happen,” Memani said.

Of the nine WSU delivery sites, eight were on strike.

Buffalo City, Ibika, Queenstown and Zamukulungisa campuses in Mthatha were part of the strike while Nelson Mandela Drive (NMD) did not take part.

WSU spokeswoman Angela Church said there had been no resolution to the strike action.

Of the listed grievances discussed last year NMD staff members reportedly wanted “harmonisation”, to give all staff the same working conditions .

NMD’s Nehawu branch secretary Dumekhaya Mditshwa refused to comment about the matter saying the campus would not join the strike.

National Tertiary Education Union (Nteu) branch leaders could not be reached for comment. —