The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) Council has announced the end of outsourcing at the institution and also announced debt relief for students.
This follows a meeting between the NMMU Council and representatives of students and workers at the university on student debt and insourcing of services.
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) Council has announced the end of outsourcing at the institution and also announced debt relief for students
“NMMU wishes to state its full commitment to creating progressive opportunities for working class students to access the university and for workers to enjoy equitable and just conditions of service‚” he stated.
He added that the NMMU Council had resolved to commit the university to ending outsourcing of service workers as this practice led to exploitation of labour and unethical practices not in line with NMMU’s core values.
As part of the process to prepare for in-sourcing‚ the university had agreed to an across the board minimum wage of R5‚000 per month cost to company for each service worker. The new minimum wage level would come into effect on 1 December 2015 until service workers in key sectors were in-sourced.
“Council furthermore commits the University management to immediately work with representatives of organised labour‚ students and workers employed in outsourced companies at NMMU on a process towards in-sourcing contracts of service workers.
“These steps must include‚ among others‚ possible renegotiation of current contracts without putting job security at risk and limiting financial losses‚ and phasing in-sourcing of service contracts from the beginning of 2016‚” Pillay said.
He added that the university would provide debt relief for all students falling under the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) with zero-EFC (expected family contributions).
Debt relief would also be provided for all NSFAS-eligible students with outstanding balances as well as for students falling in the ‘missing middle’ income brackets who were academically deserving.
The university also agreed to the removal of the requirement for upfront payment for students falling in the ‘missing middle’ income bracket and to lift the threshold of qualification for financial assistance.
The NMMU Council called on the government to ensure an effective and adequate system for debt relief for students from financially-disadvantaged backgrounds and that this be put into place for 2016 and beyond to ensure access of the poor to university education.
“Council has also instructed the University management to expand mobilisation of funding from external sources to support poor students wishing to study at post-graduate levels in 2016 and beyond‚” Pillay said.
Nelson Mandela university terminates outsourcing
This follows a meeting between the NMMU Council and representatives of students and workers at the university on student debt and insourcing of services.
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) Council has announced the end of outsourcing at the institution and also announced debt relief for students
“NMMU wishes to state its full commitment to creating progressive opportunities for working class students to access the university and for workers to enjoy equitable and just conditions of service‚” he stated.
He added that the NMMU Council had resolved to commit the university to ending outsourcing of service workers as this practice led to exploitation of labour and unethical practices not in line with NMMU’s core values.
As part of the process to prepare for in-sourcing‚ the university had agreed to an across the board minimum wage of R5‚000 per month cost to company for each service worker. The new minimum wage level would come into effect on 1 December 2015 until service workers in key sectors were in-sourced.
“Council furthermore commits the University management to immediately work with representatives of organised labour‚ students and workers employed in outsourced companies at NMMU on a process towards in-sourcing contracts of service workers.
“These steps must include‚ among others‚ possible renegotiation of current contracts without putting job security at risk and limiting financial losses‚ and phasing in-sourcing of service contracts from the beginning of 2016‚” Pillay said.
He added that the university would provide debt relief for all students falling under the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) with zero-EFC (expected family contributions).
Debt relief would also be provided for all NSFAS-eligible students with outstanding balances as well as for students falling in the ‘missing middle’ income brackets who were academically deserving.
The university also agreed to the removal of the requirement for upfront payment for students falling in the ‘missing middle’ income bracket and to lift the threshold of qualification for financial assistance.
The NMMU Council called on the government to ensure an effective and adequate system for debt relief for students from financially-disadvantaged backgrounds and that this be put into place for 2016 and beyond to ensure access of the poor to university education.
“Council has also instructed the University management to expand mobilisation of funding from external sources to support poor students wishing to study at post-graduate levels in 2016 and beyond‚” Pillay said.
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