From the news desk

Samwu fed up with working conditions

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Thousands of municipality workers in the Western Cape took to various municipal offices in full force on Monday in a demonstration demanding better working conditions and wage increases. The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) said it was forced to down tools as wage negotiations with the City of Cape Town are reaching a stalemate.

“If the City does not come to the party we will be left with no choice but to take things into our own hands,” said Samwu secretary Michael Khumalo .

The demonstration commenced on Monday involving thousands of municipality workers dividing themselves into groups where each group congested outside various municipal corporations and depots participating in a picket or placard demonstration. These demonstrations were held in Klipfontein Road, Mitchell’s Plain and Delft Water and Sanitation Depot.

“The strike started today but the form it is taking for the first two days is in a form of a picket,” said Khumalo.

The issue arose when workers found themselves working in unsatisfactory and hazardous working conditions for minimal wages.

“The reason for the strike is to address the demands of workers that have been overlooked over the past few years. The City allocates and redirects funds to other sectors that is meant for the municipality and it is not right. Municipality workers are working under very saddening working conditions,” said Khumalo.

“Workers are being taken away without consultation and the appointment of cheap labour favoured. Employees work without protective gear. We want all employees to be treated equally and with dignity. In many circumstances one person can clean the street for R100 while the other gets R300.That cannot be justified? This job is a function not an obligation. We have been asking for same things for a long time and come January the same thing will happen, yet The City still talks about going through processes. This is unacceptable. We won’t stand for it.”

Samwu has served the City with notices since October. After four months, the City has not delivered any resolutions to resolve the matters of unsatisfactory working conditions.

But the City of Cape Town labelled the strike as “unnecessary”, saying it has been engaging in constant discussions and negotiations with the trade union to resolve these issues. Samwu has not responded to its recommendations, said Mayoral committee member of corporate services, Xanthea Limberg.

“The City has made several attempts to stop the strike, but Samwuhas gone forth with the strike. The City has placed these issues on record and worked with the trade union, yet this has not been enough,” says Limberg.

The City stated that it has been engaging in discussions with Samwu since June 2014 to resolve its issues.

“We issued a written notice as they demanded and have collaboratively worked with SAMWU but they have failed to respond to these notices,” said Limberg.

The City said it would be taking precautions to minimize the impact of the strike on the city. VOC (Nailah Cornelissen)


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