Disgruntled UBASSU wants UB's Norris out
Larona Makhaiza | Wednesday October 19, 2022 11:24
UBASSU alleges that Professor Norris has failed them as the UB staff dismally as they have long asked for an increment of as little as five percent, but it has not acceded to date.
UBASSU calls for the VC to step down because the UB staff welfare is not looked after as it has been years without the staff getting any salary increment as, over the past years, other sectors have been getting pay increments.
Speaking at Thursday's UBASSU Conference, which was held at the UB Staff Lounge, the union president, Professor Motsomi Marobela, said: “This process of asking for increment long started months back when we had a petition drawn and the petition was taken to the Ministry of Education.
The petition outlined critical points of a crisis of leadership we have here in the university as the VC has failed us. Since occupying the office in 2017, the VC to date has nothing to show for what he has done for the welfare of staff.” Marobela added: "UBASSU is very much content with the intent to continue fighting for the struggle of the staff welfare as they feel that the increment is long overdue, so it is a matter granting 'Caesar what belongs to Caesar'. Two months back UBASSU took another petition to indeed show that the UB staff has had enough of the poor leadership that is being portrayed by Norris. Members of the university are extremely demotivated to carry on.
They deserve to be treated with dignity.
UB staff needs to be recognised.” Marobela continued to point out that they also feel the pinch of the rising inflation as UB staff. "Inflation affects all of us, it does not single anyone out and for that, the VC should take into consideration our cries and give us the little increment that we are asking for.
UBASSU is now in talks with the Office of the President, asking them to intervene because our last two petitions have not yielded any positive results. We have been engaging with OP for the past two weeks, but we shall wait for them so that the Cabinet retreat ends and hopefully next week we shall get positive news,” he said.
UBASSU has threatened to boycott several activities that the University has planned if their cries are not acceded to because the back and forth has been ongoing for months and nothing has changed so far. Marobela explained that their members will not be participating in the UB 40th anniversary because the staff has nothing to celebrate.
He added that UBASSU members will not be participating in the UB graduation that is set to take place next week. Marobela explained that they will rather picket during the graduation.
Marobela also said that their members will not be participating in the examinations, explaining that they have decided not to set any examinations.