WATCH | Fort Hare stands firm in wage impasse strike

“There is nothing in the pot and there is no longer a negotiation process.” This was the message from University of Fort Hare (UFH) vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu to striking Nehawu members.

On Wednesday, in a one-on-one interview with the Daily Dispatch, Buhlungu said the university was doing whatever it takes to “normalise” the situation.

“The staff who are on strike are nowhere near to being a majority. We will continue to run operations using skeleton staff,” said Buhlungu, adding that they have now implemented the “no-work-no-pay” policy for striking workers.

Responding to questions sent by the Dispatch, Higher Education and Training Minister Naledi Pandor said, “there was room opening up” to resolve the impasse.

Pandor said she had requested the Department’s director-general, Gwebinkundla Qonde, to continue discussions at the university.

The university is offering a 7% increase, as well as 0.5% increase in notch progression while workers are demanding increases of between 8% and 10% depending on the job grade as well as a 2% increase in notch progression.

Buhlungu said earlier this week that a meeting had been held between management and members from Nehawu’s national office where an agreement was reached to offer the workers a once-off payment, but workers had refused this.