DHET supports labour unions’ call to participate in university council meetings

The active participation and representation of trade unions in university councils took centre stage at Parliament on Wednesday.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) branches at UCT and the University of Fort Hare expressed their grievances during their presentation to the portfolio committee of higher education, over the lack of labour representation in councils during important discussions.

Nehawu’s Paul Gaika reported that unions relied on media reports to know about the affairs at the institution. He was also speaking on behalf of other unions that made inputs at the presentation.

“Unions want representation in council, we believe this is the highest decision-making structure in terms of governance of the institution. We are asking the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to review its statute and ensure that unions are included in higher education institution councils.

“There is also a visible ‘us’ and ‘them’ culture between academics and lower-earning staff. Management perpetuates this culture by treating administrative staff differently,” said Gaika.

Nehawu at UFH shared the same sentiment of not having platforms to engage with management, except at the bargaining unit.

Committee chairperson, Nompendulo Mkhatshwa, said she noted the representation matter was not unique to UCT or UFH.

“The Higher Education Act does afford labour unions to be council members, but maybe like many things, this could be subjected to interpretation. We would like an update on how this has been resolved,” she said.

UCT council chairperson Norman Arendse said that if amendments in their statute needed to be made, that could be looked into.

“Workers through a democratic process are represented by a nominated staff in the institutions forum. We might need to make a call about what the union has raised and have discussions,” he said.

The DHET said it would have assumed that councils wanted labour representation.

“It is peculiar that universities would not see fit to have labour representatives seated in council. The call by unions is information flow and a pure relationship with management.”

Cape Times