A large group of frustrated workers have gathered at the solid waste department today (Thursday).

Worker representative, Kgosi Makwati, said workers have come to the realisation that the municipality will not be paying workers according to the level 5 salary scale, they believed they agreed upon last year.

Last year, workers downed tools for two months, demanding to be moved from level 4 to level 5.

After weeks of going back and forth, an agreement between the municipality, the SA Municipal Workers’ Union and the Mpumalanga Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, was signed.

According to the agreement, salaries of employees would be adjusted on the same level as other municipalities of the same size to determine a new salary grade.

The municipality, in the agreement, committed to benchmark the authority against other, bigger, level 4 municipalities, and adapt salaries accordingly. The agreement said nothing about raising salaries from level 4 to a level 5 grade.

The adjustment of salaries was supposed to be effective from November 1, and payment made at the end of January 2022. They also agreed to two year’s backpay on benchmarked adjustments, to be paid out in three installments.

Steve Tshwete Local Municipality currently pays some of the highest salaries to employees, as well as benefits.

Mr Makwati said the union will be addressing workers and they will determine a way forward.

In the meantime, the civic centre, all municipal offices and services have been suspended.