Strike action continued around the UP main campus on Tuesday 20 February where students and staff struggled to gain access to campus for the second day in a row.
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UP Staff Strike Around Campus Entrances
Students, desperate to get on to campus could be seen climbing over security gates and turnstiles as the strike, around the disputed wage increase at UP, continued.
According to communication sent to its members, Solidarity indicated that Joint Labour (UPWO, NEHAWU and Solidarity) lodged a dispute with the CCMA when a final offer of a 4% increase was tabled by UP. NEHAWU members taking part in the strike action says they are requesting a 7% increase along with other demands.
Rikus Delport, Director of Institutional Advancement, indicated that the university remains open to negotiations on the matter. In a campus wide email sent by UP COO Sandile Mthiyane, UP states that there are indications of individuals outside of the university who are also participating in the strike in solidarity with the workers. In relation to the disruption of access to campus the mail states, “the university condemns the illegal behavior and will act against anyone who are disrupting campus activities and who are preventing people from entering its campuses”.
Student services affected on campus include the Student Service Centre with some students still unable to register.
This is a developing story.
Students resorted to climbing over gates and turnstiles after being blocked by striking staff from entering campus.
Photo: Cleo Qin
