The University of Cape Town (UCT) will be doing everything in its power to avert planned academic staff protest amid an ongoing wage dispute.
Also read: UCT academic staff to strike over wages
In an unprecedented move at one of the country’s top universities, academic staff resolved to go on strike next week when a new academic year is set to get underway.
In a statement, the UCT academics’ union (AU) described the institution’s offer of a 3% hike as an insult as members are demanding an increase of at least 6%, in line with inflation.
It says its members want an increase of at least 6%, in line with inflation.
“All university activities are scheduled to continue as planned. The executive will continue working hard to ensure that parties do find one another in pursuance of a reasonable collective agreement,” UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola told EWN, adding that management remained committed to resolving the matter.
“The executive reiterates its commitment to resolving any issue relating to bargaining engagements with the AU…and further values and respects the relationship with AU as with any of the other unions on campus. There is an ongoing process to deal with the issues that have arisen and the executive is confident that it will yield a favourable outcome soon.”
While tertiary institutions prepare to reopen next month, the union said it took exception to the offer of 3%, reiterating demands for no less than a 6% salary increase.
“The Academics’ Union’s expectation is that management will return with an offer that is in line with an increase from our competitor institutions and that comes with a plan to return UCT academics to the benchmark set by our pay policy,” said Kelly Moult on behalf of the union, adding that academic staff at other universities were receiving salary increases of at least 6% and that the union intended to go ahead with this week’s strike.
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Picture: Cape{town}Etc Library
