Stenographers at the Pretoria High Court have threatened to strike over alleged unfair treatment by court management, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) said on Monday.
However, the justice department was not aware of any problems at the court, said spokesman Tlali Tlali.
In a statement, Nehawu spokesman Sizwe Pamla claimed that 42 strenographers were kicked out of their office on Thursday to make way for a new supervisor.
They claimed management planned to move them to a basement where court files were stored and said it was a health risk because it had no windows and no airconditioning.
They staged a sit-in in the corridor outside their office on the fourth floor on Thursday and did not record any court proceedings for the day, Pamla said.
He said they submitted a memorandum on their plight to the court on Friday and that they would strike if it was not acted on within 72-hours.
Tlali said the memorandum had not yet reached the justice department's offices
He said a strike could bring court proceedings to a standstill.
Tlali said everyone in court relied on the stenographers' recording of proceedings.
“If a complaint has been laid, it must receive attention as soon as it is practically possible to do so.
“We can never run out patience in engaging with the unions whenever there is a bona fide (genuine) intent to interrogate issues so that we are able to find lasting solutions on any workplace issues,” he said. - Sapa