NEHAWU members outside UNISA in Pretoria.
Photo: Facebook/NEHAWU
UNISA: Staff disrupts grad ceremony over salary disputes
Unisa had to postpone graduation ceremonies set for this week after NEHAWU members allegedly disrupted them over salary disputes.
NEHAWU members outside UNISA in Pretoria.
Photo: Facebook/NEHAWU
The University of South Africa (Unisa) has postponed graduation ceremonies until further notice after NEHAWU members allegedly disrupted the ceremonies by protesting over salary agreement disputes on Tuesday, 15 March.
UNISA said its Management is currently in conversation with National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) about the issues in dispute that led to the disruption, as well as the rules of engagement when employees exercise their right to protest.
STRIKING EMPLOYEES DISRUPT GRADUATION CEREMONY AT UNISA
In the meantime, the graduation ceremonies scheduled for Tuesday, 15 March and Wednesday, 16 March at 10:00 and 18:00 respectively have been postponed until further notice.
“UNISA would like to extend its sincerest apologies to the graduates and guests who were inconvenienced by the disruption of the graduation ceremony by protesting members of NEHAWU scheduled for Tuesday, 15 March 2022.
“The university will endeavour to make alternative arrangements for the graduates who have been inconvenienced by the disruption and will, in due course, communicate the details of such arrangements directly to the affected graduates.”
UNISA
The university said it will also communicate more information about the outstanding graduation ceremonies in due course.
NEHAWU said the management of UNISA has elected to dishonour a signed agreement for the payment of salary adjustments/increase to their members and workers.
According to the union, the agreement which was entered into on the 17th January 2022 by them and UNISA agreed that employees who are on grade P7 to P17 [professional and support employees including fixed-term] would receive salary adjustments in line with clandestine adjustments done for those employees in grade P5 and P6 during September 2021.
“The management of UNISA knowing that the next bargaining circle has commenced, intentionally attempted to divide workers by adjusting salary increments only for employees in grades 5 to P6 (including Academic staff) in September 2021 without following collective bargaining processes which are concluded in the UNISA Bargaining Forum.
“Subsequently after workers protested in January 2022 over the decision of the employer, parties agreed that the adjustments done would be extended to all employees effectively from the 1st of September 2021. This meant that employees who are on grade P7 to P17 [professional and support employees including fixed-term] would receive the same salary adjustments as the other cohort of employees.
“The adjustments were done but what was not implemented by the employer was the back payment of the adjustment to September 2021 and this has resulted in workers embarking on the lunch time pickets that are currently happening. The employer entered into the agreement well aware of the back payment and they have never raised any challenge with the implementation.”
NEHAWU
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