Municipal workers win dispute
Municipal workers gathered at City Hall on Tuesday, barricading the roads with huge trucks while they awaited a response from EXCO after the SAMU meeting on Monday.
MOTORISTS were encouraged to avoid the Durban CBD on Tuesday when traffic was gridlocked for hours after SAPS closed the road leading to City Hall.
Police barricaded the road to allow for a meeting of municipal workers following Monday’s South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) meeting at Currie’s Fountain regarding a pay dispute with the eThekwini municipality which turned into a protest march to City Hall.
On Monday, SAMWU members met with the municipal executive committee in an attempt to find a lasting solution.
“However, things turned nasty as SAMWU, were adamant in demanding seven years back pay, and the elimination of conditions to the encashment of their long service credits. The situation became so volatile to necessitate an urgent special eThekwini Exco meeting on Monday night to specifically discuss possible ways of blocking further unrests,” said SAMU regional secretary, Nhlanhla Nyandeni.
After the long wait on Tuesday, municipal workers were happy with the outcome of the dispute which was revealed on Tuesday afternoon.
The discussion with EXCO and SAMWU resulted in EXCO accepting: The seven year back pay demand, staggered in three years and four years, three years payouts effective on 23 May 2014 (equal to R120 million) four years payout in December 2014 after 1 July budget (R80 million) 100 per cent long service leave encashment, omnibus agreement to be restored.
A Metro police officer who spoke to Berea Mail on condition of anonymity outside City Hall said, “tensions are very high at this moment in time.”
After the meeting, he said, “They gave us a document stating that our meeting was discussed and they decided they will settle the dispute, back pay members for seven years at the end of 23 May, for the first 3 years and the other four years will be paid in December.
“We are happy with the outcome and glad it didn’t drag on any further,” he added.
