The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has formally declared a wage and salary dispute with the Sedibeng Water Board, the dispute follows numerous rounds of unsuccessful negotiations which resulted in no concrete increase for our members.

The matter will be heard at the CCMA for the purpose of conciliation on the 2 September 2015.

SAMWU is demanding 11.5 % across the board whilst the employer is offering the poverty increment of 7.5%.

The employer offer is an insult to the workers and even when senior managers have increased their salaries by average of 36% they have the decency to offer 7.5% to the workers, people who are responsible for the core functions of Sedibeng Water.

SAMWU will be approaching the conciliation with the view of finding a solution to the impulse, we expect that the employer will also use the conciliation platform to bring a better offer compared to what they are currently offering.

We are also disappointed at the intimidation tactics by limiting organised labour’s delegation to the conciliation, we believe that this move by the employer will only prolong the process as the limited delegation given to organised labour will not have the full mandate to accept or reject any offer from the employer, thus creating an unending process of mandate seeking.

Should the conciliation fail to yield any favourable outcomes expected by the union, SAMWU will have no choice but to speak the language that the employer knows and understands better which is a full blown strike action, a strike that will lead to water interruptions in parts of North West, Northern Cape and Free State Provinces.

The dispute was declared as a result of us not been able to further negotiate with an employer that does not show commitment in resolving and concluding the wage negotiations.

The recently concluded SAMWU 11th National Congress resolved on having a no-nonsense approach to employers who are dragging their feet in bringing out a meaningful offer and timeous conclusion of salary negotiations based on living and decent wages. Sedibeng Water should therefore brace itself for the full might of municipal workers.

Issued by SAMWU Head Office