Makana municipal workers returned to their work posts today as the week-long strike came to an end on Friday last week following an agreement between the government and the workers' unions.
Makana municipal workers returned to their work posts today as the week-long strike came to an end on Friday last week following an agreement between the government and the workers' unions.
South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) Chairperson Wandile Bikitsha said the union accepted the offer of 13% wage increase across the board which comes into effect immediately. "According to our agreement with Salga [South African Local Government Association], only 10,5% will be pensionable while the other 2,5% would be non-pensionable until July 2010," he told Grocott's Mail on Friday.
The minimum wages for municipal workers will now be R3 850, but Bikitsha maintains that this figure will be R4000 by next January. "We are happy with the settlement and will be coming to work on Monday," he said.
He conceded that the clerks in the traffic department had joined the strike something which led to the closure of the traffic department for the duration of the strike. Explaining whether traffic services are part of essential services, Bikitsha said only the traffic officers are considered as essential but clerks were expect to "support" the strike. He also said that according to the minimum service agreement signed between the municipality and the union recognised traffic officers as adequate "skeletal staff" which is a requirement for essential services.
Initially, Samwu demanded a 15% increase in salaries across the board. During the negotiations Salga upped their offer to 13%, with 11.5% effected immediately and the other 1.5% next January. "We want the whole 13% to come into effect immediately," insisted Lindelwa Faltein last week.
For the major part of the week scores of chanting Samwu members sang and danced in front of municipal departments where some of their colleagues were still at work. They emptied rubbish bins on streets in around the city centre causing havoc for motorists and residents alike.
PICS: Municipal workers trashing High Street
VIDEO: Municipal workers trashing High Street
AUDIO: SAMWU chairperson Wandisile Bikitsha addressing muni workers
Faltein added that the union was satisfied that the implementation of the job evaluation system known as wage curves was no longer part of the negotiations at the bargaining chamber. This followed after the workers demanded that the matter be handled separately from the ongoing negotiations.
