Wiseman Khuzwayo
The SA Local Government Association (Salga) is appealing a Labour Court judgment which found that its executive deceived both his principals and union representatives by altering the implementation date of a national wage agreement.
The agreement related to a wage curve for municipal workers and the backdating of payments.
Its effect was that payment should be backdated to July 1, 2010, but Mzwanele Yawa, the executive director of labour relations, dishonestly changed the date to July 1, 2011, the court found.
The wage curve agreement aims to regulate and consolidate jobs in municipalities and providing for job descriptions.
The SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said it would embark on a protest.
It said this kind of action by the employer body was a waste of ratepayers’ money as legal processes such as these cost millions of rand.
Samwu said: “This is tantamount to union-bashing and a complete disregard for the many men and women who serve in the local government sphere. It is clear that the employer body knows very well that it would not win this issue in court but seeks instead to delay the process unnecessarily, which could lead to instability in the sector.
“It is not unlikely that the current instability could quickly turn into a second Marikana tragedy.”
The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) has also accused Salga of preparing to renege on its commitments in a three-year wage agreement it signed with the unions in July, which secured a 6.5 percent wage increase and a handful of allied benefits.
The July agreement says that with effect from July 1, 2012, the monthly employer contribution towards the retirement funds will be 18 percent of the monthly basic salary of all employees.
Imatu said Salga, in a circular to its members, now claimed it was never its intention to elevate lower contribution rates to 18 percent.
It said it had written to Salga to inform it that its stance was in direct conflict with the agreement.
Craig Adams, the deputy general secretary of Imatu, said: “In the event Salga does not respond to our letter and/or confirms that it will stick to its interpretation as set out in its circular, it will be treated as a breach of the salary and wage collective agreement and we will forthwith invoke the dispute resolution mechanisms contained in the agreement.”
On July 27, Thabo Manyoni, the chairman of Salga, said the bargaining parties had reached collective agreement on the rationalisation of the retirement funds by no later than December 31. Yesterday, Milisa Kentane, the spokeswoman for Salga, said the organisation was preparing a statement in response to the charges, but it had not arrived by late afternoon.