TUT workers threaten to resume strike action

21 February 2016 - 16:15 By TMG Digital

The #OutsourcingMustFall movement threatened on Sunday that workers at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) would resume strike action if victimisation and harassment of workers was not halted.“Tomorrow (Monday) is the last day for the TUT management to get their house in order and honour the agreement signed with #OutsourcingMustFall‚” the movement told a news conference on Sunday.“If the victimisation and harassment of workers is not ended on Monday‚ #OutsourcingMustFall will have no choice but to resume strike action across cleaning‚ security‚ catering and landscaping demanding the implementation of the no victimisation clauses in the agreement‚” it added.It said that in terms of the agreement workers had returned to work last Monday on the understanding that outsourcing would be phased out‚ a minimum wage of R5‚000 would be implemented and that there would be no victimisation of workers who participated in a four-week-long strike.“However‚ contractors are victimising workers and TUT management seems unable‚ or unwilling‚ to intervene and enforce the new agreement‚” #OutsourcingMustFall asserted.Meanwhile‚ it said that the strike by workers at Tshwane South College (TSC) and Tshwane North College (TNC) was continuing and that Monday and Tuesday would see an escalation of protests at the Department of Higher Education & Training in Pretoria which was responsible for policy at these two colleges.“If the Department of HET refuses to sit down at the table and negotiate an end to the strike at TSC and TNC this week‚ #OutsourcingMustFall will work to mobilise the entire student population of Tshwane to shut down every campus‚” #OutsorcingMustFall warned.“Already‚ significant links and solidarity have been built between #OutsourcingMustFall and #FeesMustFall. Last week‚ #OutsorcingMustFall secured the bail money and organised the legal representation of arrested University of Pretoria students in solidarity. The two campaigns stand in solidarity‚” the campaign added.Outsourced workers at the University of Pretoria‚ Unisa‚ Medunsa‚ TUT‚ Tshwane South College‚ Tshwane North College and Tshwane Municipality began strike action on January 11‚ demanding an end to outsourcing‚ a R10‚000 per month minimum wage‚ and a moratorium on retrenchments and reinstatement of all recently retrenched workers.The University of Pretoria‚ Unisa and Medunsa management have subsequently accepted workers’ demands and negotiated an end to the strikes at their institutions...

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