The National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) handed over a memorandum to the top management of Rhodes University on Tuesday, regarding wage negotiations.
The handover followed a notice the unions gave to the University of their intention to embark on a protected industrial action over wages, the university’s communications manager, Veliswa Mhlope, said in a statement.
“The University accepts the memorandum as it is a useful document from which we can resume negotiations going forth,” Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University, Dr Sizwe Mabizela said in a statement.
“We accept that an increase of five percent is a bitter pill to swallow in the face of biting inflation. We, however, continue to engage in good faith and with complete transparency. We hope to be able to find a workable solution in the shortest time possible.”
The University said it expected the negotiations between management and the unions to resume Tuesday afternoon or as soon as possible, and that the agreement would be reached at the earliest for the interest of the University, its students and staff.
The University said they remained committed to constructive, open and transparent engagement with organised labour, and that they noted the discipline in which members of the unions participated and conducted themselves during the marches.
“Our Constitution guarantees all citizens equal entitlement to the rights, privileges and benefits of citizenship. It similarly subjects all of us to the duties and responsibilities of citizenship. Every citizen, in terms of our Constitution, is free to assemble and demonstrate peacefully and within the confines of the law,” said Mabizela.
The academic project has continued as planned.
– African News Agency (ANA)
