Members of labour union, Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu), in eThekwini Metro are outraged following revelations that they could lose a large portion of their pay as a result of the unprotected and violent strike by City workers last month. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers
Members of labour union, Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu), in eThekwini Metro are outraged following revelations that they could lose a large portion of their pay as a result of the unprotected and violent strike by City workers last month.
The metro is implementing a “no work, no pay” policy following the strike which crippled service delivery.
Imatu members, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the policy was being implemented even for those workers who were not part of the strike.
Imatu had said publicly that it did not participate in the strike.
The strike was led by members of the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu).
The weeks-long strike crippled service delivery across departments. It was also violent and working City employees were attacked. At least one died while others were hospitalised with injuries.
The City also secured a court interdict to compel workers to stop striking.
Several workers who took part in the strike have been fired and more are being taken through disciplinary hearings.
The metro declined to comment on Monday, and said it will not speak to the labour unions through the media.
Imatu members said they had learnt from City officials that the time sheets and attendance register are being submitted for March (in preparation to pay salaries and benefits in April) and deductions would be made for the eight to 10 days of the strike.
“If they deduct those days, that is close to R4 500 in salaries and benefits, as the basic pay is around R10 000 with the total cost to company around R15 000,” said the source.
The bulk of the affected members are in the Durban Solid Waste (DSW) unit.
“These members arrived at work but could not work because of threats and intimidation. They just sat at the depots.
“For a strike in DSW to be effective, refuse must not be collected. The City has to be dirty. The striking workers would arrive early in the morning to blockade entrances to depots with burning tyres.
“Members of Imatu told the City they were willing to work if the City provided protection. If they don’t, how can we be expected to drive out the gate past the protesting people burning tyres and armed with knobkerries?” the source asked.
The source said workers had already had their salaries deducted for February 28, when the interdict was granted.
“The deductions are not limited to just your net pay; they include everything, your pension and medical aid contributions. The decision could really be damaging to the workers and it could take them months to recover from this.”
Imatu leader Queen Mbatha said the union was aware of the concerns about deductions. “We cannot speak on the matter as there is ongoing engagement with the municipality.”
eThekwini Metro spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said: “eThekwini Municipality will not engage any labour union through the media. There is a formal Bargaining Council structure where all labour matters are discussed. The municipality will continue to engage labour unions through these structures.”
Asked to comment on the claim that in the March salaries, an amount was deducted for February 28 – the date on which the interdict was granted, Sisilana said the question was misguided. “The ‘no work, no pay and no benefits’ principle is in accordance with the Labour Relations Act, which provides that ‘an employer is not obliged to remunerate an employee for services the employee does not render during a protected strike’.
The same principle is applicable during an unprotected strike and is not based on the date the interdict was granted.”
The Mercury