Members of the South African Municipal Worker’s Union (SAMWU) and workers at Rand Water will be embarking on an indefinite protected strike action from Wednesday 21 April 2021.
This was announced in a media release by SAMWU today, April 19. Rand Water is responsible for supplying bulk water to municipalities and industries in Gauteng, North West Mpumalanga and Free State provinces.
This protected strike action is called in terms of Section 64(1) read with Section 64(4) of the Labour Relations Act.
According to the media release, issued by SAMWU Greater Vaal Region, the labour union has successfully referred a dispute to the CCMA regarding the unilateral change of conditions of employment and service for workers at Rand Water as communicated by the employer to workers on the 31st of March 2021.
“The employer has already been informed of our intentions to go on strike from the 21st April. Despite the CCMA rulling in the union’s favour the employer has decided that they will not comply with the order.
“The decision that we have taken as SAMWU to go on strike is a painful one as we know that taps will definitely run dry in all areas that are serviced by Rand Water. However this is a noble, justifiable and well within our rights.
“We however as a trade union will not allow the employer to bully workers by unilaterally changing employees’ conditions of service without any consultation whatsoever. Our members and their interests come first.
“An ultimatum has already been given to the employer to immediately reverse this anti-worker practice and restore all terms and conditions of employment, including incentive bonuses,” says SAMWU in its statement.
SAMWU says its attempts to engage the employer was also to ensure that there is labour stability at the water board. SAMWU says “we firmly believe that our demands are truly justified and important to the livelihoods of the entire workforce of the utility. Rand Water should actually consider this strike as a dry run for what is coming their way when SAMWU will be presenting its salary and wage demands at the Amanzi Bargaining Council (ABC) which is inclusive of all of the country’s 12 water boards”.
SAMWU says it will present the following demands in the ABC:
1. A single year salary and wage agreement.
2. R4 000 salary increase for all workers under the auspices of the SALGBC.
3. R15 000 sectoral minimum wage.
4. R 3 500 housing allowance for all workers.
5. 80% employer medical aid contribution and 20% employee contribution.
6. Six months fully paid maternal leave and 1 month fully paid paternity leave.
7. A 25% employer contribution towards pension
*********************************************************************************************
