UNESWA REOPENS MONDAY, WORKERS HAPPY

MANZINI – The University of Eswatini will reopen on Monday following a collective agreement between management and workers.

The two parties reached an agreement on the release of notching (award performances) for workers, which was the main reason for the protracted strike action. UNESWA had closed for over a month following a non-stop legal strike by academic workers under the Association of Lecturers Academic and Administrative Personnel (ALAAP) and non-academic workers under the National Workers Union in Swaziland Higher Institution (NAWUSHI). However, it was gathered that the university had since signed a collective agreement with workers. The university has agreed to give workers two movements of notches between 2020/21 and 2022/23, and two back pays for six months each. This is effective from October 2022.

Agreement

The collective agreement between the university and workers follows a series of negotiations that lasted for the past two weeks until yesterday, when the parties sealed the deal. In a memorandum on the signing of agreements between the university and unions, issued by UNESWA, Regsitrar Dr Salebona Simelane alluded to the fact that agreements were reached and signed at a tripartite meeting yesterday afternoon. “An announcement shall be run shortly to recall full-time students back to the university for the commencement of classes on Monday, May 8, 2023. Part time classes for IDE students shall commence on Saturday May 6, 2023,” Dr Simelane said. He added that in view of this, all staff members should report to work by 8am today.

Reopening

On the reopening of the university, the registrar shared that Senate resolved that the duration of the first semester for undergraduate programmes should be extended to cover 12 weeks of teaching, and information on examinations shall be communicated in due course. Dr Simelane further articulated that the duration of the first semester for IPGS programme should be extended by one week to complete teaching, while information on examinations shall be communicated in due course. He said registration for the first semester should be extended by three weeks up to Friday May 26, and students returning to residence may do so starting on Sunday, May 7.

Meanwhile, ALAAP General Secretary Dr Mduduzi Shongwe attributed the positive outcome of the negotiations to the Labour commissioner, who, he said, played a role in intervention. According to the general secretary, it was after the commissioner left, when the university acknowledged that it owed employees two notches. Dr Shongwe noted that the university had initially submitted that there was no notching but later changed tune and declared that there were no funds.  “The university first proposed that they could give employees their two notches but in stages during a meeting on Friday. We were thrilled when the university came back on Tuesday and told us it would give us notches and six months back pay for each movement,” DR Shongwe expressed.

He explained that those that were expecting two movements would get 12 months back pay. “On our side, we got what we wanted and downing tools has not been in vain. Of course, it is not exactly as it was supposed to be from 2020, but the negotiations were as expected,” he said. NAWUSHI Secretary General (SG) Stanley Simelane said: “We got what we wanted and we have been given two movements of notches between 2020/21 and 2022/23, and two back pays for six months each and it is effective October 2022. We can’t say we are fully satisfied but the negotiations are quite fair as our demands have been met”. Simelane noted that the strike was suspended until full payment of their dues. The SG mentioned that the university promised to pay them month end of May.

Cancel

“So as soon as it is released, we are going to cancel the strike. But for now, it has been suspended,” he said. Simelane stated that they would register the collective agreement to a binding order in court so that should anything happen along the way, management would be held accountable. He added that the moment management did not live up to its promise, workers would return to striking full force. Worth noting is that the university has been closed for two months as workers have been on a legal strike over the issue of notching. Management was offering one level in notching across the board without any back pay, whileas unions were demanding two levels with a back pay, resulting in a deadlock. Academic workers started engaging on their legal strike on March 8, resulting in the closure of the university. Since then, lecturers from the three campuses in Mbabane, Luyengo and Kwaluseni have been convening at Kwaluseni Campus to demonstrate. They were then joined by NAWUSHI members on March 20, who also decried on the issue of notching,

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