Union threatens industrial action in City of uMhlathuze

Should the employer continue to ignore certain issues, Samwu will have no choice but to embark on industrial action to defend members’ rights, dignity and safety.

This stern warning was issued by the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) Regional Secretary Zandile Gumede regarding unpaid overtime by the City of uMhlathuze last month.

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In a statement issued today (Monday), Gumede noted that the city’s conduct constitutes a gross breach of fiduciary duty and a serious violation of labour law, specifically the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and applicable collective agreements.

“It is not merely an administrative oversight but borders on wilful non-compliance,” said Gumede.

Furthermore, the union said the failure to pay statutory payroll deductions has resulted in hardship for municipal workers, which include the following:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): The employer has failed to provide complete and adequate PPE in accordance with Council-approved policy. Notably, traffic officers have not received new uniforms since 2019, violating occupational safety standards

• Tools of trade: The accumulation of broken vehicles at the municipal workshop, along with the coercion of employees to use unroadworthy vehicles endangers both staff and public safety, breaching the Occupational Health and Safety Act

• Overtime and threshold implementation: The non-payment of overtime contravenes both labour law and the 2024 arbitration award mandating the implementation of the threshold agreement. This constitutes contempt of legally-binding processes

• Unfair labour practices: Multiple unfair dismissals have occurred, many of which Samwu has successfully overturned, revealing a systematic abuse of power and targeting of union members

• Safety and security: Despite a shooting incident inside municipal premises last year, the employer has taken no substantive steps to secure the workplace, demonstrating reckless neglect.

“Shockingly, affected employees were arrogantly informed that payment would now be deferred to 25 June,” said Gumede.

In response to questions from the ZO on Monday, the City of uMhlathuze said they will not divulge in the media any information pertaining to organised labour and ‘expect the same from the organised labour’.

Read more in the ZO Weekender edition.

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