Unam staff want their 7%
Disgruntled University of Namibia employees, who were represented by the Namibia National Teachers Union and the Namibia Public Workers Union, held a peaceful demonstration on Friday demanding that the university pay them the 7% salary increase promised to them last year.
Muree Tjiueza from Nantu handed over a petition to Unam vice-chancellor Lazarus Hangula.
The university undertook to pay its staff a 7% salary increase in December 2016 but has not done so. Staff members received a letter from Hangula informing them they would receive a 7% salary increase that would be implemented on 15 February 2017, backdated to 1 January 2017.
Tjiueza said the unions were informed by Unam that they could not pay the increases due to financial constraints.
“In January, Unam consulted the unions and advised that they could not implement the increase in February 2017 due to cash-flow challenges.
“Unam assured the unions that they were actively consulting with the finance and higher education ministries to find a lasting solution to the cash-flow challenges and implement the promised salary increase,” said Tjiueza.
A lecturer at Unam, who did not want to be identified, said she was frustrated that the university still had not paid her the salary because she had turned down other job offers.
“I was supposed to teach in South Africa but I turned down the offer because Unam's offer was more lucrative,” said the lecturer.
Another employee said the university must pay them because it owed them for all the hard work they had done.
“We are a performing institution with good employees. If Unam does not pay us most people will leave the university and its credibility will drop,” he said.
The employees are demanding that Unam suspend all its capital projects and divert the money to its salary budget. They are also requesting that the university stop appointing staff members on contract and to stop appointing people who are already close to retirement age.
The unions also demanded to be part of the recruitment process at Unam to ensure “transparency, fairness and equity compliance with Unam recruitment policies”.
The unions have given Unam until 11 July to respond to their petition.
SHONA NGAVA
Muree Tjiueza from Nantu handed over a petition to Unam vice-chancellor Lazarus Hangula.
The university undertook to pay its staff a 7% salary increase in December 2016 but has not done so. Staff members received a letter from Hangula informing them they would receive a 7% salary increase that would be implemented on 15 February 2017, backdated to 1 January 2017.
Tjiueza said the unions were informed by Unam that they could not pay the increases due to financial constraints.
“In January, Unam consulted the unions and advised that they could not implement the increase in February 2017 due to cash-flow challenges.
“Unam assured the unions that they were actively consulting with the finance and higher education ministries to find a lasting solution to the cash-flow challenges and implement the promised salary increase,” said Tjiueza.
A lecturer at Unam, who did not want to be identified, said she was frustrated that the university still had not paid her the salary because she had turned down other job offers.
“I was supposed to teach in South Africa but I turned down the offer because Unam's offer was more lucrative,” said the lecturer.
Another employee said the university must pay them because it owed them for all the hard work they had done.
“We are a performing institution with good employees. If Unam does not pay us most people will leave the university and its credibility will drop,” he said.
The employees are demanding that Unam suspend all its capital projects and divert the money to its salary budget. They are also requesting that the university stop appointing staff members on contract and to stop appointing people who are already close to retirement age.
The unions also demanded to be part of the recruitment process at Unam to ensure “transparency, fairness and equity compliance with Unam recruitment policies”.
The unions have given Unam until 11 July to respond to their petition.
SHONA NGAVA
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