The Johannesburg municipality says that essential services won’t be affected by Tuesday’s strike as it is putting contingency plans in place to minimise disruptions.
South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) spokesperson Chichi Selepe has warned that essential services will be affected by the protest.
Johannesburg municipality spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane said on Monday that the municipality is appealing to members of the public to report any disruptions on (011) 375-5555.
“In terms of the Labour Relations Act employees in the essential services can’t embark on a strike action. As the municipality we want to assure our clients that we will do everything to make sure that disruptions are minimum,” Modingoane said.
He added that the municipality would be appling the “no work, no pay” principle.
“Our line managers will be keeping a close eye on the attendance register to see how many people have embarked on a strike action,” he said.
Samwu’s Selepe warned that essential services would take part in the strike: “Our members come from the communities that are affected by essential services and cannot survive on wages that are currently paid by the Johannesburg municipality. I am telling you now that let’s wait until Tuesday and see if essential services won’t be affected.”
Members of Samwu will embark on a one-day strike against a proposed 6% wage increase.
Wage negotiations between the South African Local Government Association (Salga), which represents local government at national level, and municipal unions deadlocked last month over wage increases and the basic minimum wage.
Samwu and the Allied Trade Union (Imatu) are seeking a 9% wage increase across the board and a minimum wage of R3Â 000 a month, while Salga has offered 6% and a minimum wage of R2Â 300. – I-Net Bridge