Municipal workers will down tools if ”attacks” on Nelson Mandela metropole employees do not stop, the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said on Thursday.
This was decided at Samwu’s national executive committee meeting on February 20 and 21.
”These attacks are aimed at getting rid of workers who stand against any form of crime, including fraud and corruption in the public office,” said Samwu general secretary Mthandeki Nhlapo.
The union demands that all dismissals of Nelson Mandela metropole workers be reversed before the end of March. If the dismissals are not reversed, Samwu will embark on planned national action by the end of May.
”Samwu workers are being unnecessarily dismissed and suspended; they are being suppressed from engaging in their own private political activities which are unrelated to their roles as municipal workers,” said Nhlapo.
He said hazardous working conditions to which workers were subjected were also highlighted at the meeting.
”Municipalities, as part of government, are obliged to uphold the laws of the country, including occupational health and safety laws. Necessary steps must also be taken to immediately reverse any form of privatisation,” Nhlapo said.
More than 13 000 Samwu Gauteng members will embark on a sympathy strike with Nelson Mandela metropole workers.
”Samwu’s Greater Johannesburg branch has given the Johannesburg municipal manager seven days to intervene in the [Nelson Mandela] strike, failing which it too will bring its 10 000 members out on strike,” said Phemelo Keupilwe, Samwu provincial organiser.
Samwu West Rand, with 3 000 members, will also join the strike and has given mayors within the West Rand 48 hours to intervene in the Nelson Mandela metropole strike.
”Samwu West Rand branch has problems with employers which provided motivation for striking,” Keupilwe said. — Sapa