Striking Nehawu workers blockade Unisa campuses
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”.
Pretoria - #ProtestAction RT @sonoxy@TrafficSA possible delays on Justice Mohammed road due to looming strike at @Unisa Sunnyside pic.twitter.com/ekPWI3BTqN
— Rob Byrne (@TrafficSA) January 26, 2017
In Johannesburg‚ Cliff Pinto @PigSpotter posted: “#ATT #AVOID #UNISA campus has been locked down by strikers. Traffic gridlocked from Vodaworld towards Boulders Mall.”
#ATT#AVOID#UNISA campus has been locked down by strikers. Traffic gridlocked from Vodaworld towards Boulders Mall.
— Cliff Pinto (@PigSpotter) January 26, 2017
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.