Municipal workers’ unions and the South African Local Government Association (Salga) met on Monday in another attempt to resolve a wage dispute that has seen a countrywide resumption of a pay strike.
The meeting was taking place even though Salga had already imposed a 6% wage increase against the unions’ demands of a R3 000 guaranteed minimum wage or an 8% or R350 increase, whichever is the greater.
”We will see if we can find a settlement,” Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) general secretary Clive Dunstan said.
Imatu was not participating in Monday’s strike action.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said it would hold a combination of sit-ins and pickets throughout the country, although no marches were planned for major centres.
Branches in smaller towns could organise their own marches, Samwu spokesperson Roger Ronnie said.
He called on Samwu members not to become involved in ”unprovoked acts of violence” and said police should refrain from ”interfering in labour disputes”.
The previous strike was marred by strikers overturning bins in city centres, with some strikers even turning on reporters.
Meanwhile, the City of Johannesburg told residents that rubbish would not be collected and there would be no buses.
Arrangements would be made to collect refuse from hospitals and restaurants.
Cape Town police said they would monitor the situation and would be available if necessary. — Sapa