Johannesburg - The month-long strike by Pikitup workers came to an end on Saturday night after the City of Johannesburg and the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) reached an agreement.
“The City of Johannesburg (COJ) welcomes the settlement agreement signed between Samwu, Pikitup, a wholly owned entity of the City, and the City, facilitated by the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration),” said the City in a statement released late on Saturday night.
“The settlement will see an end to the one month work stoppage which commenced on 9 March 2016.”
The stoppage has resulted in accumulation of waste, which poses severe health risks, particularly in low income, high density areas of the City.
Workers had been demanding better wages and the removal of Pikitup Managing Director Amanda Nair, whom they accused of graft. Nair was previous cleared of any wrong doing by the high court, but Samwu claimed it had new evidence against the MD.
The City said there will be an “immediate return” to work and an end to all acts of intimidation and violence. It was also agreed that there will be no victimisation and harassment of employees by Pikitup, the COJ’s waste management entity.
“Pikitup will make a once-off payment of R750 to all Grade A and B workers and this will be taken into account in the further negotiations which will commence on 11 April and will be concluded on 13 April 2016 under the auspices of the CCMA.”
The City said the principle of no work no pay will be applied but 50% of the deduction will be deferred and applied over a period of two months in May and June.
“The immediate return to work will, however, be taken into account in consideration in mitigation of the sanctions in the disciplinary hearings.”
African News Agency