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The National Education Health & Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in the Department of International Relations and Cooperative [DIRCO] has been granted a certificate to strike. This is as a result of failed negotiations at the Departmental Bargaining Chamber that the union has been involved in.

In 2015, NEHAWU tabled the following issues for consideration by the employer:

• Payment of Senior Accounting Clerks at salary level 7 as per the adverts and communications to the employees.
• Department to develop a proper structure for the department, a structure that will include salary level 1 to 12.
• The department to reverse the abolishment of posts generally and the abolishment of salary level 8 at Finance and Supply Chain divisions.
• Filling of all funded vacant posts.
• Equal pay for work of equal value. Stoppage of inconsistence practices in the department.
• Transformation of DIRCO and the implementation of the Cheadle Thompson and Charles Nupen report

After engaging with the employer for almost two years with no outcomes, workers then decided to say enough is enough and mandated the union to mobilize for a strike. The union declared a dispute and the General Public Service Sectoral Bargaining Council [GPSSBC] set the matter down for conciliation. The matter was conciliated by the GPSSBC on 06th April 2017 and also on 10th May 2017 and both conciliations failed to resolve the matter leading to the issuing of the certificate for a strike.

A notice for the strike was served to the employer on the 11th May 2017 accompanied by a plan for lunch hour pickets effectively from 22nd May 2017 culminating into a full blown strike to start from the 24th May 2017 if our demands are not met.

Indeed, our successful picket staged on 22nd May 2017 had about 150 workers outside the gates of DIRCO showing their commitment and readiness for a serious fight against the employer if their issues are not taken serious. On this day, workers sent a loud and clear message to the employer that they are sick and tired of unfair treatment and being devalued by the department as if they are not a critical component at the point of service. 

Workers demand the following:

• DIRCO to fill all 638 funded vacant posts in the department. This should include the reversal of the decision to abolish posts at all missions.
• Remunerating all Senior Accounting Clerks at salary level 7 as advertised and all other related divisions.
• Re-introduction of salary level 8 for Finance and Supply Chain
• Develop and consult on a structure for DIRCO that will include all employees from salary level 1 to 12 and this should speak to Head Office and employees at the missions.
• Implementation of the Cheadle Thompson and Charles Nupen report recommendations.
• Immediate resuscitation of the transformational committee to be chaired by a neutral individual.

Since the 22nd May 2017, negotiations resumed in order to find an amicable solution to our demands until the 24th May 2017 where parties agreed on a project plan aimed at dealing with all demands within the timeframe of 30 days. In this regard, the union will patiently await for the agreement before formally it calls off the strike, in the meantime the union is reporting back to members to sort further mandate.

Lastly, the union is calling on the department to table at the PSCBC (Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council) the proposed Foreign Service Bill for consultation, failure to do so that will lead to more instability in the department.

Issued by NEHAWU