Pretoria News reports that workers at the University of Pretoria (UP) could join their Unisa counterparts in a strike for higher wages, the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) said on Monday.  

As the strike at Unisa (University of SA) entered its fourth day, Nehawu threatened to intensify its strike and mobilise members at other universities.  The union’s Ntsako Nombelani said this was not Unisa’s fight alone and next on the list to strike would be its members at UP.  They too, according to Nombelani, were at loggerheads with the university over their wage rates.  “In the next couple of weeks the strike will hit Tuks (UP),” he stated.  At Unisa, registering students were yet again hit on Monday as staff continued to strike for higher wages.  Nombelani said if Unisa did not concede to the union’s demand for a 9% increase across the board (revised down from 12%), the workers would continue the shutdown of all campuses.  Unisa is apparently offering 7%.  Nombelani said salaries were not the only issue and that there were also transformation issues, including the ‘“de-Guptarisation’ of the university council.

• Read this report by Sakhile Ndlazi in full at Pretoria News
• Read Nehawu’s press statement on the situation at Unisa, UP and Wits at Cosatu Today

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page