KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) staff aligned to the South African Municipal Workers’ Union will strike from 8am-4pm on Monday.
According to a statement released by the union, the strike is being held because of salary complaints, particularly what they deem unfair grading.
Salary grading is a system that decides municipal pay scales based on the population size and revenue of a given municipality. There are six grades in total.
“We will not be bullied or coerced into abandoning our fight for fair treatment and correct salary alignment,” said the union.
“All we are demanding is that the municipality honours the 2020 council resolution and commitment to align all employee salaries with Grade 5, just as they have already done for senior staff.”
KDM spokesperson Sifiso Zulu said the municipality received notice of the peaceful picket.
“Essential services including fire, emergency, lifeguard, waste management, disaster management, electrical and community safety will continue as normal,” he said.
“All employees have been cautioned to observe picketing rules issued by the commissioner as the breach of those may have negative legal implications. The ‘No Work, No Pay’ principle will apply as appropriated by the Labour Relations Act.”
Zulu said that the union’s demands fell outside of national collective bargaining processes and that the decision was the jurisdiction of the South African Local Government Bargaining Council.
The majority of the strike action will be focused in KwaDukuza at the following locations:
- 36 Chief Albert Luthuli Street.
- Corner Chief Albert Luthuli and King Shaka Streets.
- Corner of Mahatma Gandhi and Gizenga Streets.
- Corner of King Shaka Street and Chota Road.
- Outside the municipal building at Industrial Crescent.
The final strike location will be outside KDM’s Nokukhanya Luthuli House at 10 Leonora Drive in Ballito.
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