Johannesburg - The National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) on Thursday accused top executives of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) of corruption, saying that newly-elected board members have unilaterally increased their salaries without following due process.
According to Nehawu, NYDA chairperson Sfiso Mtsweni and the deputy chairperson Bavelile Hlongwa have increased salaries for their offices since January 1, 2018 without consulting the union members for a clear mandate and way forward.
The union's branch executive committee said that it viewed the actions by the employer as illegal and discriminatory since a number of employees had been denied bursaries for this academic year due to lack of funds.
Nehawu said that any changes to the employment contract of any employee is subject to laws and regulations of the agency, Labour Relations Act, Basic Conditions of Employment Act, and other labour laws.
"Did the employer hold consultations with unions before the implementations of this resolution? If not, why as this matter is a matter of mutual interest," Nehawu said in a statement.
"A number of employees are employed under the same conditions, that is fixed term, non-renewable contracts. Why are they not included in the rationale and ultimately the resolution of the HRR Committee of the board."
Nehawu then demanded to make a presentation at the human resources and remuneration committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, while also calling for an urgent bargaining forum to convene to resolve the matter, failing which the union would roll out mass action beginning with a picket on Wednesday and a strike action.
But the NYDA defended itself, saying that all its employees enjoy a security of tenure through receipt of a permanent contract of employment not aligned to the board term of three years.