Striking Nehawu workers blockade Unisa campuses

26 January 2017 - 11:29 By TMG Digital
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File photo of Nehawu members.
File photo of Nehawu members.
Image: Gallo Images / Sowetan / Mohau Mofokeng

Striking National Education Health & Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) blockaded entrances to some of the University of South Africa’s Gauteng campuses on Thursday morning.

The entrances to the Florida and Midrand campuses were reported to be closed off‚ while burning tyres where seen outside the Sunnyside campus in Pretoria‚ badly backing up traffic.

Rob Byrne ‏@TrafficSA tweeted: “Pretoria - #ProtestAction RT @sonoxy @TrafficSA possible delays on Justice Mohammed road due to looming strike at @Unisa Sunnyside”.

In Johannesburg‚ Cliff Pinto ‏@PigSpotter posted: “#ATT #AVOID #UNISA campus has been locked down by strikers. Traffic gridlocked from Vodaworld towards Boulders Mall.”

The union said it had initially placed a demand for a 14% salary increment across the board from November 2016 plus the implementation of the Labour Relations Amendments (LRA) on temporary workers.

However‚ this was declined by the university management which was offering 6%.

“After the deadlock the matter was referred to CCMA for facilitation which sat today. During the CCMA facilitation the University Management reduced their initial offer from 6% to 4.5%.

“The union’s view is that this reduction confirms the high level of arrogance and our long held suspicion that the employer has not been negotiating in good faith‚” Nehawu said in a statement.

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