Nehawu gets interdict against salary deductions by higher education department

Nehawu has obtained a court interdict against the department of higher education after it allegedly flouted a wage agreement and deducted money from employees' salaries.

Nehawu said an agreement reached after their "successful" strike included the department deducting two days of pay per month "subject to verification".

"Notwithstanding the above clause of the settlement agreement, the employer proceeded to make deductions on the basis of the no work, no pay principle," the trade union said on Tuesday.

Nehawu said it had approached the department, but claimed it was "adamant to proceed with the deductions without verification". The trade union then filed an urgent application at the Labour Court which has ordered that:

• The department may not deduct more money from salaries paid to Nehawu members from May 16.
• The department may deduct money from members once it had taken all the necessary steps and informed the members in a letter stating how many days they were on strike, the number of days that will be deducted, how many days had been deducted; and
• Reimburse those whose salaries it incorrectly deducted.

Our sister publication TimesLIVE has approached the higher education department for comment and will update this story in due course.