UB, Union agree on salary adjustment

Keobonye Majatsie
Correspondent | Wednesday September 29, 2010 00:00

 

A memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed by UB Vice Chancellor Bojosi Otlhogile and the union's executive secretary Motseothata Gopane on September 16, states that the collective bargaining process was aimed at reaching an agreement on the adjustment of UB salaries to bring them in line with the national market (for middle management and junior support staff) and the regional and Commonwealth higher education market (for academic and senior support staff).

The parties agreed that an annual salary review based on prevailing remuneration market conditions will be conducted regardless of whether it would bring changes to the salary structure.  A job profiling and evaluation exercise would be carried out within a period of two years. The profiling and evaluation exercise should cover all support staff jobs.

'The parties agreed that the implementation of any agreement reached between them would observe the limit of P30 million approved by the University Council for all university employees.'

Where the proposed salary increases exceed 50 percent, the increase would be made over a period of two years. The first 50 percent would be made during the first year of implementation while the balance would be conditional on the outcome of the job evaluation exercise.

To align the average salary of each salary Band to the 50th percentile of the market as determined through the remuneration market survey. 

The proposed percentage increases reflect the maximum possible increase for individuals with a salary scale. Each individual employee's increase should be based on the individual's specific salary level within the Band, taking into consideration the maximum possible percentage increase. In terms of this agreement employees within the same Band may have their salaries hiked by varying percentage, depending on the difference between their own salary and the identified market position.

'Notwithstanding the above, the parties agreed that no employee would receive an increase less than 5 percent of their basic salary,' the negotiating parties resolved. (Sila Press Agency)