/ 1 January 2002

Samwu pours cold water on work resumption calls

The nationwide strike by municipal employees is set to continue on Wednesday with pickets and marches in different parts of the country, the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) said on Tuesday.

Samwu representative Anna Weekes was commenting after some municipalities released media statements on Tuesday evening claiming the strike had been called off following ”a nine percent” settlement with the SA Local Government Association (Salga).

Weekes rejected such statements as a ploy to sow confusion among the thousands of striking union members.

”The strike is not over. We’ve just finished a meeting with Salga but no agreement has been reached, and we will consult with our members tomorrow (Wednesday) on what transpired from the meeting. The marches and picketing will go on as scheduled,” she said.

Salga representative Don Seemise said on Tuesday the strike was continuing ”until Samwu announces its suspension or calls it off”.

”By the end of the week, Salga will announce its final mandate about the acceptance or lack thereof, on the negotiations informed by this framework,” he said.

An announcement on any new developments would be made on Friday, Seemise said. – Sapa