Almost two weeks without pay took its toll on strikers. That's according to a municipal worker who was relieved to return to work this week, along with other members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu).
Almost two weeks without pay took its toll on strikers. That's according to a municipal worker who was relieved to return to work this week, along with other members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu).
The union announced on Tuesday that it had instructed its members to return to work, although no settlement had been reached in their wage negotiations with the South African Local Government Association (Salga).
In a national press release, Samwu slammed Salga’s attitude during the negotiations, accusing some municipalities of intimidating strikers with court interdicts and threats of dismissal.
The union was also critical of the employer body’s "intransigent position to make meaningful movement in the wage negotiations to resolve the dispute”.
Local Samwu chairperson Wandile Bikitsha said on Wednesday that according to the latest report from the national office, Salga had refused to budge from its initial offer of a 6% wage increase. He added that Samwu was willing to accept an increase of 10% (down from its initial proposal of 18%), but no lower.
When asked why Samwu was abandoning the strike, Bikitsha said that it was never intended to be a long-term negotiating tactic. He said it was too early to predict what the union’s next move would be, but seemed optimistic that negotiations would be resolved soon.
Meanwhile, union members seemed pleased to be back on the job on Wednesday. One employee at the municipal refuse department, who declined to give his name, said the strike had taken its toll on workers.
“The reality is the strike had gone on for 11 days. No work, no pay,” he said. He said many Samwu members had wanted leaders to end the strike.
A second worker, also speaking under the condition of anonymity, said workers had been instructed by their leaders to return to work, in the hope that this gesture of good faith would convince Salga to soften their negotiating stance.
Asked on Wednesday for a comment on the cost of the strike to the municipality, Makana communications manager, Thandy Matebese was unwilling to speak.
Salga national spokesperson, Melissa Kentane, had not responded to a request for comment by the time of going to press.
