Edu department takes no-work no-pay approach to strikers
"Bonuses the way we want it" is the cry being taken up by several chanting Education Department officials in the past two weeks.
POLOKWANE – The Department of Education’s Spokesperson, Dr Naledzani Rasila said that the department was forced to get a court order to keep the strikers from disrupting the functions of the department and other employees.
“Thus far the staff on strike only include administration staff, but anytime someone does not do their work, the education of the future generation suffers,” Rasila said.
This comes after the department has started paying out bonuses for excellent services to employees, including the Performance and Development System (PMDS).
This has several employees up in arms as they feel that they also deserve bonuses that they did not receive which led to an ongoing two-week strike that has turned violent at times.
Rasila said the department is taking a no-work no-pay approach to the strikers who still occupy the street and sidewalk in front of the department, singing and dancing.
He added that the employees demanded in a memorandum that they want the intensive programme for people who have performed exceptionally, to be changed.
One of the office employees at the department said that she and another employee were forced out of their offices at the beginning of the strike.
“We have been threatened and told that we would be harmed if we continue working,” the woman told Review.
She said that she missed two days of work fearing for her safety.
A spokesperson of the picketers also made allegations against an official, allegedly guilty of nepotism for transferring a family member to the department, and alleged that internal officials were not given a chance to compete for positions.
“This is something that we, as a provincial department, cannot do. The programme, and how it works, has been worked out by the national department and any changes need to come from them, not us,” Rasila explained.
He warned employees that they have embarked on an illegal strike and this makes negotiations difficult.
