UCT Operations Face Disruption as Staff Launch Strike Over Deadlocked Salary Negotiations

UCT PASS staff go on strike after salary negotiations fail. Unions demand 7% while management offers 3.5%. Vice-chancellor to meet unions within 48 hours.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 26, 2026, 7:01 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from GroundUp

Bargaining Collapse Leads to Mass Action

The University of Cape Town (UCT) faced significant industrial action on Thursday as members of the professional, administrative, and support services (PASS) staff walked out of their posts. The strike was triggered by a deadlock in salary negotiations that began in November 2024. While university executives have capped their offer at 3.5%, a coalition of unions—the UCT Employees Union (UCTEU), the Democratised Transport Logistics and Allied Workers Union (DETAWU), and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU)—is steadfast in demanding a 7% increase to keep pace with the rising cost of living in the Western Cape.

Protest March to Administrative Headquarters

The day’s activities saw over 150 workers marching from Sarah Baartman Hall on the upper campus to the Bremner building, the university’s administrative heart. Protesters, including cleaners, technical officers, and catering staff, handed a memorandum to Vice-Chancellor Mosa Moshabela. The atmosphere was described as tense, with staff jeering the Vice-Chancellor as he addressed the crowd. Moshabela acknowledged the essential role of PASS staff, noting that the university cannot function without them, and pledged to hold a formal meeting with union representatives within 48 hours.

Unresolved Grievances from 2024

Central to the workers’ frustration is the feeling that their roles have been "devalued and disrespected." UCTEU spokesperson Fabian Botman noted that several demands from a similar strike in 2024 remain unresolved. Specifically, PASS staff are pushing for a unified bargaining forum to align their negotiations with those of academic staff. Currently, the two groups negotiate separately, a structure the unions claim marginalizes support staff. Union leaders characterized the ongoing bargaining process as a "talk show" that fails to yield tangible implementations.