Lecturers at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) have threatened to withdraw their services in self-funding programmes if the university management does not pay them their outstanding allowances.
The National University of Science and Technology Educators Association (NUSTEDA), in a memorandum, addressed to the University Vice-Chancellor Professor Mqhele Dlodlo dated November 12, 2019, said its members will stop offering their services on November 27 until further notice.
The lecturers resolved that they will stop entering coursework marks for the current undergraduate semester and for blocks that have been conducted from June 2019 up to now. They will also not participate in invigilating exams for the current undergraduate semester and for blocks that have been conducted from June 2019 up to now.
NUSTEDA president Alois Muzvuwe said the lecturers will also cease collecting examination scripts, marking them, and entering marks in Navision. The lecturers will also not supervise dissertations and will not to teach in the upcoming blocks and semesters in 2020.
“NUST Lecturers are not going to be forced to work after hours and during vacation for low rates, only for them to get paid when the money has lost value,” said Muzvuwe.
The resolutions were passed at a NUSTEDA general meeting held on Tuesday.
“Union members bemoaned management`s tendency to negotiate in bad faith. So far self-funding wages for the May 2019 intake (first semester) have not been paid, contrary to what was agreed upon when lecturers who had indicated lack of interest to take up self-funding programmes were convinced to offer their services,” Muzvuwe said.
“It is now mid-November 2019 and lecturers have not claimed anything for this semester, contrary to the agreed position that they shall be paid self-funding wages monthly, in the form of teaching allowances together with their salaries.”
Muzvuwe added that despite the delay in paying them, the lecturers have continued to offer their services.
Contacted for a comment, NUST director of communications Felix Moyo said, “I am not aware of that development but lecturers were given their money two weeks back, it might be an old story.”
