Numsa accuses UJ of ‘rampant exploitation’ of workers

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) says the demands for equal pay by workers who took part in a peaceful demonstration outside the university gates yesterday, could have implications which will place the financial sustainability of the university at risk.

They university has been accused of exploiting cleaners, security guards and support staff by making them work extra hours for no pay, according to the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa).

The union said about 700 workers were affected, some of whom were earning lower salaries than some of their colleagues, even though they did the same job.

UJ spokesperson Herman Esterhuizen said the university’s management acknowledged Numsa’s demands.

“However, the demands have far-reaching implications which will place the financial sustainability of the university at significant risk”.

He said the legal principle of “no work no pay” applied to members who took part in the picket.

Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola hit back, saying the university was violating the principle of equal pay for work of equal value.

“There are employees in the security department who earn lower salaries than some of their colleagues. This is because the grading system is unfair and we are demanding that it must be immediately overhauled,” she said.

“We demand an end to ‘harvesting’. This is a policy which is being implemented by the management of protection services. The management claims that our members must work extra hours because they claim that workers owe the university their labour. They are forced to work extra hours without getting paid. This is rampant exploitation and it must be stopped immediately,” said Hlubi-Majola yesterday.

The union had raised this issue with university management as far back as April, but the university demonstrated a total disregard for the workers’ demands.

“It is truly shocking that a university that claims its core values are ‘ethical foundation’, can shamelessly abuse workers in this way,” she said.

Hlubi-Majola added that besides the salary disparities, there were also disparities with the medical aid benefits.

“Workers who were insourced in 2016 are not on the same medical aid plan as other staff. To make matters worse, the university makes no contribution to their medical aid, but it contributes to the medical aid of other staff members,” she said.

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