NEDLAC TO CONSIDER TERTIARY EDUCATION NOTICE

The National Education Health and Allied Workers'Union (NEHAWU) has tabled a notice of possible protest action to Nedlac regarding the transformation of the tertiary education sector and related issues.

The notice has been served in terms of s77(1)(b) of the Labour Relations Act, which gives workers the right to embark on protest action to promote and protect their social and economic interests, if they follow certain procedures. Nedlac is required to consider the notice with a view to resolving the matter through a process of facilitation.

The reasons tabled by NEHAWU as motivation for the intended protest action include:

The failure by the State to compel the tertiary education institutions to comply with the Higher Education Act;

The failure by the State to monitor the use of State subsidies in tertiary education institutions;

The failure by the State to negotiate mechanisms to ensure the effective restructuring of the tertiary education sector.

In accordance with the Act, Nedlac will schedulea meeting of its Management Committee and the relevant parties in order to facilitate dialogue around these issues. The Minister of Education has been asked to make himself, or appropriate representatives from the Ministry, available for the meeting.

Ends