Cape Town - Municipal services could be hit hard from next Friday when thousands of SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) members launch an indefinite strike over a six-month-old dispute.
“We don’t like to go on strike, but we are being pushed,” said Jonathan Krakri, chairman of Samwu in the Cape Town metro.
The union has been at odds with the city since the beginning of the year after the cancellation of city-sponsored transport for workers to and from work, allegations that workers have been fired for filing grievances, shop stewards have been intimidated, and vacancies remain unfilled while the city employs low-skilled workers without benefits under the Expanded Public Works Programme.
In May, Samwu members staged a one-day strike and handed a memorandum to mayor Patricia de Lille, who promised to facilitate discussions with the union.
The union says directors of the city’s departments have failed to co-operate in efforts to end the impasse.
“As an organisation we understand those essential services requirements, but because of the non-resolution of the workers’ issues, workers at depot level are showing a lot of anger towards their managers.
“Since May the union has been too patient when we were being told ‘Hold on, hold on’.”
Samwu’s regional secretary, Michael Khumalo, said the strike’s duration would depend on the city’s response.
The strike would involve workers in solid waste management, sports and recreation, and Transport for Cape Town. The MyCiTi bus service would not be affected, but ticket offices would.
The union was not ruling out those in essential services also being involved, although it would ensure sufficient staff remained at work to keep these services going, Khumalo said.
Talks with the city were continuing.
The mayoral committee member for corporate services, Xanthea Limberg, said the union had decided to call a strike despite agreeing on a number of solutions.
“Contingency measures have been put in place to minimise the impact on service delivery.”
The strike was expected to affect the solid waste services and the city would ensure refuse was collected, depending on the availability of staff.
“Employees engaged in designated essential services, including city health, traffic services, metro police, law enforcement services, fire and emergency services and the provision of water, electricity and sanitation may not participate in strike action,” Limberg said.
Among other things, the city and union had agreed that the directorates, senior line managers and shop stewards would work together in a facilitated process to resolve workers’ grievances.
It had also been agreed that a policy would be developed on time off for shop stewards.
Cape Times