The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has accused the DA of what it labelled as desperate, anti-worker propaganda in Tshwane.
Samwu general secretary Dumisane Magagula said the DA’s recent declaration is not a genuine financial plan to save the city, but rather a declaration of open war against the working class and a direct, contemptuous assault on the integrity and legally binding rulings of the collective bargaining institutions of democracy.
Dispute over salary ruling intensifies
The DA this week said the SA Local Government Bargaining Council’s (SALGBC) ruling awarding municipal workers a 3.5% backdated salary increase for the 2021 financial year was “legally flawed and financially ruinous”.
Magagula said Samwu was demanding that city manager Johann Mettler reject “this self-serving, legally illiterate advice” from the DA and the immediate payment of workers’ 3.5% salary increases as per the ruling.
“Any attempt by the current administration to appeal this matter will be met with the full force of Samwu’s legal and organisational power,” he said.
DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink has called on Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya and her administration to reconsider their decision not to take the backdated salary increase award on review.
Brink has also called on the city to table a comprehensive budget funding plan in the council this week so that other difficult decisions can be made to avoid the cash flow crisis that would otherwise follow.
“There are compelling grounds for the Tshwane metro to dispute its obligation to pay R2 billion in salary increases backdated to 2021.
ALSO READ: Tshwane must pay workers’ wage hikes
It has until 14 December to take the matter under review to the Labour Court,” he said.
Concerns over financial impact on residents
Brink said in these circumstances, the city has an obligation to residents who pay rates, tariffs and charges to take the obligation on review.
“Refusing even to consider this option will not only prejudice Tshwane’s four million residents, it may also be to the major detriment of the city’s workforce, a fact which the two labour unions do not seem to have considered.
“Despite the city’s offers of a settlement, the unions have insisted on full payment of the backdated increases,” he said.
Brink said the DA is not opposed to a settlement with trade unions, but such a settlement must be affordable to residents.
Moya said that on 31 October, the SALGBC handed down its ruling on the implementation of salary increases dating back to 2021.
The ruling dismissed Tshwane’s application for exemption and ordered the payment of up to R1.6 billion in back pay.
NOW READ: Union celebrates R10bn deal for Johannesburg workers, but city admits no budget exists yet
About the Author
