The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) notes and welcomes the compliance order issued by the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) which directs the City of Tshwane to pay workers their 5.4% salary and wage increase as per the 2021 salary and wage collective agreement.
The compliance order, which was issued on the 27th July 2023, comes after the Union wrote to the SALGBC to enforce the collective agreement as per Section 33A of the Labour Relations Act.
The order directs the City of Tshwane to pay workers’ increases as follows;
1. Salary increase of 5.4% effective from 1 July 2023.
2. Increase of minimum wage to R9531.54.
3. Homeowners’ allowance be increased to R1011.77
4. All linked benefits and conditions of service to be increased by 5.4% effective from 1 July 2023.
As SAMWU, we are pleased that the SALGBC has acted and protected collective bargaining and stopped the attempts by the City to reverse the gains made by workers and for workers.
We therefore urge the City of Tshwane to comply with the order. We further urge all Councillors represented in the Council to ensure that the administration acts as directed by the SALGBC. Should Council fail to ensure that the administration complies with the order, it will be complicit and enablers of the administration in denying workers their salary increases for the second time in three years.
We will as a Union be monitoring the implementation of this order while also continuing the fight for the implementation of the 2021 3.5% salary increase which the City failed to implement.
Our members, and municipal workers in general cannot be relegated to poverty and starvation by the City of Tshwane, these workers are failing to catch up with the forever rising cost of living. If the City of Tshwane respects collective bargaining and wants sound labour relations within the City, it will comply with the order as directed by the SALGBC.
The Union’s National Office Bearers reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that employees of the City of Tshwane receive their salary and wage increases. The Union will use all resources at its disposal to ensure compliance with this order.
Issued by SAMWU Secretariat
Dumisane Magagula
General Secretary
076 580 4029