While the month-long wage strike at Walter Sisulu University is over, it is still unclear when the 31000 students will sit their mid-year examination.
The strike ended after WSU and its two unions, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and National Tertiary Education Union (Nteu) agreed on a 6.6% salary hike, backdated to January.
The no-work no-pay deduction of 20% is set to come off in four instalments from August.
The unions initially demanded an 8% salary increase.
In a communique to the university community, deputy vice-chancellor Professor Sechaba Mahlomaholo said the agreement had been finalised on Tuesday.
“The signing of [the] agreement brings the strike to an end with immediate effect,” he said.
“We congratulate all the parties for the positive and final outcomes of their engagements.”
Mahlomaholo said from yesterday everything would be back to normal.
He apologised to the university community, and to students in particular, for the inconvenience all had suffered in the course of the protracted negotiations.
University spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said their concern was now the need to look at methods and mechanisms to assist students, who have not been able to write their preliminary examinations because of the strike.
She said the university’s senate executive committee had already revised its teaching programmes to make up for time lost.
“Examinations will commence as soon as lost time has been recouped,” she said, but did not say when that would be.
The Nehawu chairwoman at the Ibika campus in Butterworth, Khanyisile Blaai, said they were not happy with the offered percentage, but had decided to compromise.
However, Blaai said they would still dispute the no-work no-pay arrangement. “Part of signing the agreement was that they would not implement the no-work no-pay policy,” she said.
Nteu administrator Vuyokazi Mzwi confirmed their members would return to work.
“We are worried about the examinations.
“We have to put ourselves in the shoes of parents and students.”
The SRC welcomed the signing of the agreement.
But the SRC deputy secretary at the Buffalo City campus, Lonwabo Sibonde, said they were worried about the July 9 suggested date for exams to start.
“Students are not ready to sit for examinations.
“They need to be given enough time to prepare,” he said.
On the Mthatha campus, SRC president Mxolisi Zoko said the suggestion there was that the university would close tomorrow, reopen on July 16 and hold exams from July 23.
- The University of Fort Hare and workers have yet to reach an agreement as the strike continues.
Nehawu is demanding a 10% salary increase for junior lecturers and general staff, and 8% for senior lecturers, managers and professors. —sinom@dispatch.co.za
Strike at WSU ends with exam dates still to be confirmed, stalemate at UFH
Image: File
While the month-long wage strike at Walter Sisulu University is over, it is still unclear when the 31000 students will sit their mid-year examination.
The strike ended after WSU and its two unions, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and National Tertiary Education Union (Nteu) agreed on a 6.6% salary hike, backdated to January.
The no-work no-pay deduction of 20% is set to come off in four instalments from August.
The unions initially demanded an 8% salary increase.
In a communique to the university community, deputy vice-chancellor Professor Sechaba Mahlomaholo said the agreement had been finalised on Tuesday.
“The signing of [the] agreement brings the strike to an end with immediate effect,” he said.
“We congratulate all the parties for the positive and final outcomes of their engagements.”
Mahlomaholo said from yesterday everything would be back to normal.
He apologised to the university community, and to students in particular, for the inconvenience all had suffered in the course of the protracted negotiations.
University spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said their concern was now the need to look at methods and mechanisms to assist students, who have not been able to write their preliminary examinations because of the strike.
She said the university’s senate executive committee had already revised its teaching programmes to make up for time lost.
“Examinations will commence as soon as lost time has been recouped,” she said, but did not say when that would be.
The Nehawu chairwoman at the Ibika campus in Butterworth, Khanyisile Blaai, said they were not happy with the offered percentage, but had decided to compromise.
However, Blaai said they would still dispute the no-work no-pay arrangement. “Part of signing the agreement was that they would not implement the no-work no-pay policy,” she said.
Nteu administrator Vuyokazi Mzwi confirmed their members would return to work.
“We are worried about the examinations.
“We have to put ourselves in the shoes of parents and students.”
The SRC welcomed the signing of the agreement.
But the SRC deputy secretary at the Buffalo City campus, Lonwabo Sibonde, said they were worried about the July 9 suggested date for exams to start.
“Students are not ready to sit for examinations.
“They need to be given enough time to prepare,” he said.
On the Mthatha campus, SRC president Mxolisi Zoko said the suggestion there was that the university would close tomorrow, reopen on July 16 and hold exams from July 23.
Nehawu is demanding a 10% salary increase for junior lecturers and general staff, and 8% for senior lecturers, managers and professors. —sinom@dispatch.co.za
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