Municipal workers go back to work
The workers have a lot of work ahead, cleaning the streets of the CBD, collecting the accumulated refuse in the suburbs, and moving it to the waste transfer facility outside the Farmers Hall..
The Mayor of Newcastle, Afzul Rehman, announced during his Budget and State of the Town address last night, that municipal workers would be returning to work today.
Speaking at the Farmers Hall, Cllr Rehman lauded the community services department for its hard work and dedication.
“We are indeed proud of the fact that we remain the cleanest town in KZN for seven consecutive years and the second cleanest in the country for two years,” said Cllr Rehman. “We are proud of the hard work and dedication of this team, notwithstanding the recent unprotected strike that has seen our town trashed by angry workers.”
“We remain confident that these workers will soon realise that we negotiate in nothing but good faith, as we care for and love our employees as much as we do for every citizen of this town,” he said.
The workers have a lot of work ahead, cleaning the streets of the CBD, collecting the accumulated refuse in the suburbs, and moving it to the waste transfer facility outside the Farmers Hall..
“We have seen what eight days without refuse removal can do. I now realise just how important their jobs is,” said a resident.
The issue of salaries will now be negotiated via proper procedures, and will hopefully deter workers from striking in the near future.
“We are also confident that they will return to work and return our town to the beautiful city that we are,” concluded Cllr Rehman.
