Africa-Press – South-Africa. Conciliation negotiations between members of the University of Cape Town Employees’ Union and management ended in deadlock on Thursday.
It was the largest representative body at the university with about 1 200 members, according to the union.
It represents a wide range of earners (payment classes 2 to 13) and includes administrative workers, technical officers, as well as managers and executive directors. It is in effect the union for non-academic staff responsible for administration, technical work, and management.
According to the union, management was refusing to come to the table over several issues related to salary increases and was refusing to bargain with it.
The matter was heard at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Thursday.
This is the second time in two weeks the union has had to refer a matter to the CCMA.
In a statement on 23 January, the union expressed its concerns about management terminating its bargaining recognition agreement on 18 January.
“This action by UCT, seeks to nullify the collective strength of staff to negotiate fair and reasonable pay increases and benefits,” it read.
The union’s Samuel Chetty told GroundUp the university left them with no option but to go to the CCMA after management failed to negotiate with them.
UCT had “extensive engagements” with all unions last year on establishing a single bargaining unit for all Professional, Administrative Support and Service (PASS) staff rather than “multiple arrangements”, according to UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola.
He said, “this move does not in any way seek to bring to an end its long-standing relationship with [the union]”.
Moholola added:
In addition to the two matters lodged at the CCMA this month, the union also had several cases before the CCMA in 2022.
According to Chetty, this is unprecedented in the union’s history.
“The issue is that management has frustrated every effort the employees’ union has made for proposals and thwarted every proposal for negotiation in … labour matters,” he said.
One of its cases before the CCMA was successfully negotiated in September last year.
Technical inspectors had asked for overtime pay and compensation for using their vehicles for work at the university.
In a statement, the union said: “An agreement has been reached to ensure that technical inspectors are fairly remunerated and compensated for their time in service of the employer. The agreement is backdated to 1 June 2022.”
In another case over salary increase negotiations, the CCMA ruled in favour of UCT. The university offered staff a 5% increase but there was a dispute about a once-off payment of R2 100.
Chetty said the union was also dealing with the lack of promotion opportunities for PASS staff, a matter which remained unresolved.
This despite other employees, such as academic staff and scientific officers, receiving promotions this year, he added.
Meanwhile, members of the Academics’ Union are also set to down pens for a higher salary increase.
In a statement, it said UCT’s offer of 3% for 2023 was “insulting and derisory”.
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