Pretoria - Peace and stability may be on the horizon for the University of Pretoria following a two-week-long protracted strike by security and food services staff over alleged unfair labour practices.
Workers affiliated with the Academic and Professional Staff Association of South Africa (APSA) have been on strike since the beginning of this month over unfair labour practices, allegedly meted out to recently insourced workers at the university.
Over 500 workers linked to the union have been protesting outside the university’s driveway area between the public road and the gates of the University Road entrance, alleging that failure to reach an agreement with the university on issues relating to conditions of employment of insourced staff members within the security and food services area was behind the protest action.
Both the university management and leaders of the union have held a series of meetings since the start of the protest action, to no avail.
Over the weekend, however, progress seems to have been made, with both parties indicating that a solution was on the horizon.
On Saturday APSA general-gecretary BB Senokoane said the union had managed to secure a principle agreement with the university management which they were still to consult with members today.
Senokoane said if the members agreed with the proposal the union would then proceed with signing it.
University spokesperson Rikus Delport confirmed on Sunday that there had indeed been progress with the engagements between the union and the university management.
“We have made good progress and are hoping to bring an end to the strike action soon with mutually agreed sustainable solutions for the university,” he said
Pretoria News