Msukaligwa Municipal employees and members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) started picketing from Monday at the municipal offices in Ermelo over the municipality’s failure to keep its promise to the workers.
The workers say they have had enough of the empty promises from municipal management regarding demands they presented to the municipality a couple of months ago.
At the heart of the picketing and unhappiness are the same issues relating to the municipal task grading where employees demand to be paid according to the correct task grade and protective clothing, which they have still not received, among others.
A union representative said they would be picketing outside the offices during lunchtime until Friday and on Monday they will go on a full-blown protected strike, which will also see the outside units, Breyten, Chrissiessmeer, Davel and Lothair, downing tools to join the strike.
The representative also explained that they were no longer willing to put their lives in danger for the municipality that seems not to care about their livelihood.
“We wish to be clear to the community that we honestly want to deliver service to them as per our contractual obligations. However, we can no longer put our lives in danger driving municipal vehicles that are not roadworthy and climbing electrical poles with high voltages without proper protective gear. We also have families to think of.
Until the municipality takes us seriously and keeps its promise and gives us the proper and correct uniform, we will forge ahead with our strike,” said the representative.
Union members also hinted that if nothing came of their picketing, they would also disrupt the Public Protector’s meeting at the Civic Centre on Friday to voice their dissatisfaction with the manner in which the municipality treats them.
The union also said they would write to the Department of Labour for them to investigate the working conditions municipal employees were subjected to.
