City prepares for workers downing tools

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Durban - eThekwini Municipality was drawing up contingency plans to avert a possible crisis after more than 4 000 Durban SA Municipal Workers Union members indicated they were preparing to join a national strike next week.

More than 190 000 municipal workers demanding market-related salaries will down tools over what they describe as the dubious action and blatant dishonesty of the SA Local Government Association (Salga).

eThekwini municipal manager Sibusiso Sithole said the city would meet Salga, Samwu and other unions.

“It’s a national strike, but we hope the workers’ grievances can be addressed before they embark on the strike,” he said.

Salga spokeswoman Milisa Kentane, said the association was aware of the impending strike but only the Limpopo office had received notice from Samwu.

Samwu spokesman Tahir Sema, said the strike action came after the union learnt that Salga had filed to appeal the wage curve victory the union had secured.

“Presently, low- to middle-income workers are not earning a market-related salary and the wage curve was going to ensure that workers’ salary scales are increased,” said Sema.

But Kentane would not be drawn into commenting about the wage curve matter, saying it was sub judice.

The appeal by Salga, said Sema, was a waste of taxpayers’ money.

What could exacerbate the situation was the huge salary increment and allowance managers and councillors had received this year, despite some of them performing poorly. It emerged last week that senior managers in the province’s struggling municipalities had paid themselves big performance bonuses even though their towns were in financial distress. - Daily News