The countrywide municipal strike is over, the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) said on Wednesday.
“Imatu is pleased to announce that with our intervention, the South African Local Government Bargaining Council parties have reached a settlement in the ongoing salary dispute between Samwu [South African Municipal Workers’ Union] and Salga [South African Local Government Association],” the union said in a statement.
Imatu said it had intervened to settle the dispute between the Samwu and Salga.
Imatu said the strike had been called off “with immediate effect”.
The agreement had been put in writing and represented a collective agreement of the bargaining council.
Imatu said the agreement included that all external legal representation — contracted attorneys and advocates — in disciplinary procedures of municipal employees, would be terminated from July 1 2010.
An eight-year dispute with the South African Local Government Association relating to a municipal wage curve and representing equal pay for equal work at all municipalities in South Africa, had been settled.
“From July 1 2010, new salary scales based on the different categories of municipalities will be implemented,” Imatu said.
It said back payment of salaries based on nine months’ payment would be due for payment, backdated for nine months, from October 1 2010.”
Samwu and Salga were expected to sign an agreement at 2pm on Wednesday in Tshwane, they said in a joint statement, without giving any further details.
The city of Johannesburg said on Tuesday that residents and visitors to the city were being severely inconvenienced by the absence of service delivery.
Spokesperson Gabo Towanda said the situation had been aggravated by “rampant vandalism” and that a recent Samwu march through the city had, once again, been accompanied by the trashing of streets and the intimidation of members of the public. – Sapa