The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) in Tshwane Region held a meeting with City of Tshwane Administrators on 07 August 2020 to engage on the impasse between SAMWU and City of Tshwane on payment of benchmarking monies. This meeting follows a series of other meetings after the City had reneged on the collective agreement on benchmarking.
We would like to categorically state that contrary to the statement issued by the City claiming that there is an agreement reached, the is no such but rather outcomes of engagements between parties.
In the meeting, the City proposed that they pay half of the benchmarking monies owed to workers by end of August 2020, while the remaining half would be paid before the end of the financial year; February 2021.
We acknowledges and appreciate movement by the employer on this long overdue matter which has brough frustration and anxiety among workers. Our position however has always been that the employer should pay in line with collective agreement being the two years.
As a worker controlled organization, SAMWU will be consulting with members on the proposal by the employer, it is only members who will give the regional leadership mandate on this matter. Until this process has been fully concluded, it is the considered view of the union that there is no agreement but rather advanced discussions.
The union has been given until Tuesday, 12 August 2020 wherein shop stewards will be going to depos and other workplaces to conclude its mandate taking exercise, after which, a Bargaining Committee will be convened by Wednesday, 13 August for finalization.
The union’s regional leadership encourages all members to participate in this process so they too can be part of decision making processes of the union, as is their right. We further thank our members for entrusting us and their patience in allowing us to deal with this matter in their interest.
We have noted with concern actions by certain individuals and organisations who are hellbent on driving a wedge between municipal workers and community members. We repeat, before we are municipal workers, we are members of communities and as such, there is no benefit for municipal workers when service delivery is interrupted.
We have also noted with disgust, attitudes of the other labour party who seek to bask in the glory of SAMWU and its members while they are folding their arms, doing nothing for their members. History will judge them, municipal workers are not oblivious to the situation in Tshwane.
Issued by SAMWU Tshwane Region
Mpho Tladinyane
Regional Secretary
083 941 5888
Or
Valentine Matlala
Deputy Regional Secretary
084 465 5598