GroundUp reports that on Thursday over 150 workers at the University of Cape Town (UCT) met to discuss an agreement reached on Wednesday between UCT management and five trade unions.  

The agreement ended a notification of strike action by Salipswu, which was submitted to UCT over the weekend.  It was Salipswu’s second notification of strike to UCT.  Five trade unions were part of the negotiations, namely, Salipswu, Nehawu, Detawu, University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU), and the UCT Employees Union (UCTEU).  The agreement established a “joint forum” and a task team with representatives from trade unions to continue discussions about issues related to workers brought onto the UCT payroll in 2016.  It also created a work study to “assess reasonable staffing levels across operations.  UCT agreed to give shift allowances for staff working night shifts, more pay for working Sundays and holidays, and a new shift pattern for residence catering.  It committed to offering four-hour casual workers full-time positions starting 1 November 2017.  It also agreed that pregnant women would no longer work night shifts.

Read this report by Laura Bratton in full at GroundUp

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