Workers block entry to TUT campus
Police intervene and staff are forced to park in the street.
MAKING A POINT. Workers picket outside the Tshwane University of Technology main campus, where they are protesting against outsourcing, saying the university reneged on a former pay deal . Picture: Jacques Nelles
Police had to intervene yesterday when temporary workers at the Tshwane University of Technology blocked the entrance to the main campus in Pretoria West to prevent staff, and students’ buses, from entering.
About 100 protesters, which included security guards, catering staff and cleaners, told staff and bus drivers to park their vehicles outside the gates and walk in.
A private security company was also stopped from entering the premises.
Police intervened and told protesters to at least open one lane to allow school buses, staff and students to enter the premises. They then organised for two worker representatives to speak to management.
The workers are demanding a minimum salary of R5 000. They accused management of backtracking on a previous agreement, offering them only R3 800.
According to outsourcing activist and spokesperson Austin Mofyoa, university management went back on an agreement signed in February to offer workers permanent employment.
They demand that the university cancels a tender for campus security services and instead sources the employment internally.
The workers started their strike last week and disrupted activities on campus for a couple of days, after which they had to stop.
Mofyoa said they would not allow any form of violence because they did not want the police to shoot at them.
“We need a clear response from the management before we decide on our way forward. We will not stop our protest until we get that agreement.”
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