Trade union National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has accepted Wits University’s wage offer, ending a strike at the institution.
Numsa members at Wits had embarked on the strike more than a week ago.
The union settled for a 9.2% wage increase for workers in grades 16 and 17. The university has also agreed to increase salaries of workers between grades 5 and 8 by 7% and workers between grade 9 and 15 by 7.8%.
“We are satisfied that management responded to our demand of a higher percentage increase for the lowest paid workers. We are also very proud of our members who were extremely militant and disciplined.”
“They were united in their goal and they managed to score a victory as a result. We are committed to fighting for a living wage and not just a minimum wage. We are determined to end the racist wage gap which exists in the majority of workplaces,” says Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi.
