Health sciences university pleads with Nehawu, workers to end salary increase strike

Pretoria – The Sefakho Makgatho Health Sciences University has pleaded with union leaders of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) and workers for an end to the salary increase deadlock for the sake of the academic calendar.

The plea comes after discussions between the vice-chancellor and union leaders to resolve the impasse and resume the academic calendar at the university failed to yield any success once again.

Dr Eric Pule, the university spokesperson said the university Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Mbati went to the university’s campus in Ga-Rankuwa to engage and plead with leaders to find a way forward.

Pule said even though the Mbati had made efforts to come to address the leadership about their concerns he was turned away by the leadership who remained unhappy with the 4% salary increase as offered by the university.

He said Mbati had circulated a communique for all staff and students to return to campus to resume the academic calendar but they were dismayed to discover that striking workers had continued to block the entrance of the university.

“This is not the end of the road, the university management is still committed to engaging the affected staff members in order to restore normality to the university.”

“The university already had to dig deep to move its offer from 3.5% to 4% so we’re saying let’s agree on the 4% and we will continue to engage on the outstanding matters without holding up the academic calendar.”

However, Gladys Malema, secretary-general of Nehawu’s branch at the university said workers remained adamant for a 5% salary increase and would not go any lower.

Malema said the main reason why workers could not accept the 4% increase was due to the fact that, unlike other institutions that offered workers additional benefits such as a housing allowance, the university did not.

“The workers don’t have benefits so they can’t even enjoy their salary even if they have worked for the university for over 20 years. So with the cost of everything going up accepting that would prejudice them.”

“The university is employing its own bullying and threatening tactics by indicating to workers that they are to return to work otherwise its no work no pay.”

Pretoria News