Nust lecturers yet to get bonuses

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MORALE among lecturers at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) is reportedly at an all-time low, as the institution is still to pay its lecturer their bonuses and January salaries.

MORALE among lecturers at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) is reportedly at an all-time low, as the institution is still to pay its lecturer their bonuses and January salaries.

Richard Muponde Senior Reporter

The situation has attracted the attention of the lecturers’ national executive, which arrived in Bulawayo yesterday to mediate in the matter and pass a resolution on what action is to be taken.

Nust Educators’ Association (Nusteda) secretary-general Blessing Jona yesterday confirmed that they had not been paid their dues.

“It’s true we haven’t been paid our bonuses and January salaries,” he said.

“The national executive is here and we are going to meet.

“We will hear what resolution would be made about what action to be taken by all universities countrywide.

“As soon as that resolution is made, I will let you know.”

This is not the first time that Nust has failed to pay lecturers their dues.

In 2013, the institution was involved in a legal battle with Nusteda over the payment of $800 000 for extra lessons.

The amount was for lecturers’ outstanding salaries for 2012 and 2013.

Nusteda took the matter to court and it was referred to an arbitrator, Washington Chitima, who on November 26 2013 made a ruling that the institution should pay the lecturers.

The case was that in 2009, Nust entered into a verbal agreement with its workers, that for each extra course a lecturer taught, they would be paid $1 700.

However, Nust failed to honour its obligation resulting in Nusteda taking the matter to court to have the dispute resolved.

The two parties later reached an agreement for the payment of the money.