The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] has reached an agreement with the University of Pretoria after a protracted strike characterised by highhandedness by the untransformed university management.
The agreement was signed today, Monday 11th March 2024. The parties agreed on the following:
● That the Employer will positively adjust the salaries of employees in the bargaining unit (job category 4 to 19) for the financial year 2024 by 5.1% effective from 01 January 2024. As a consequence, the aforementioned employees have accrued a back pay and this will be paid with the salary run for March 2024.
● The parties further agreed on non-vesting once off allowance R1-200-00 (one thousand and two hundred rand only), this will be paid with the March 2024 salary run.
● The parties agreed that the no work no pay will be deducted as follows; 60% will be deducted from vacation leave and the remaining 40% will be deducted over period three months effective from March 2024 salary.
The following issues will be deferred to the University of Pretoria Bargaining Forum (UPBF) and will be prioritized.
● The Extended Family Funeral Cover will be finalized in the UPBF.
● The long service awards deliberations are deferred to the UPBF
● Further discussion on the 13th cheque will serve before the UPBF.
Furthermore, parties agreed that there will be no victimization of the employees for exercising their rights to participate in the strike. Following this agreement, as NEHAWU, we have thus ended the strike action. Workers are expected to return to work on Tuesday March 12, 2024.
As NEHAWU, we salute all our members and workers at UP for waging a militant relentless struggle by keeping our strike and picket lines strong as they were struggling for a living wage and better working conditions. We commend our members for the resilience they displayed during the strike even when the employer went as far as using intimidation tactics on workers through the usage of courts and unleashing police on workers.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat