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The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) in Limpopo province has learned with shock and utter dismay of the intention of the Sekhukhune District Municipality to pay salaries to its employees at the end of February 2020 through cheques without first consulting with them before a council resolution was taken as well as the publication thereof.

What is particularly concerning is that the municipality in its communication with the media was very economic with the truth by not disclosing to the public the reason why the payment by cheques were suspended and will not be implemented in January as intended by the memo. 

Samwu will want to put it on record that when employees received a circular on the 13 January 2020, they immediately contacted their union shopstewards who requested a special LLF the following morning on the 14th January 2020 where in the municipality,  pro-actively without any pressure conceded to the effect that they did not consult the employees on the matter and the meeting resolved to suspend the implementation of this measure pending full consultation with organised labour which is Samwu and Imatu in this case. 

Samwu awaits a formal meeting with the management and council on this matter and will obviously oppose this resolution as consultation will be an academic exercise since a resolution has been taken without first consulting the employees or organised labour which is a violation of the labour relations act section 1 (d) and clause 11.8.2 of the main collective agreement.  

We would like to caution the leadership of the municipality that their tendency of taking resolutions that have implications on labour without their involvement stops now and their rationale for cleaning of ghost workers from the payroll employed by (Management) cannot include payment of salaries of employees by cheques which is very risky and has a potential implications for institutional instability.

We will further be demanding that the municipality take corrective action against anyone who may be found to be responsible for allowing the council to resolve on a matter of this magnitude without consulting workers which can cause instability and public outrage which will expose the municipality to unnecessary litigation.

Samwu is ready and committed to defend its members from this callous act of municipality within the context of service delivery and labour peace in the interest of the working class. 

Issued by SAMWU Limpopo