Parliament, Nehawu agree to discussions
Parliament and the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) on Friday agreed to discuss all matters of mutual concern between the two parties internally.
“The agreement has resulted in a withdrawal by Nehawu of a complaint to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA),” Parliament said in a terse two-line statement on Saturday.
Nehawu members at Parliament went on a lengthy illegal strike that turned violent in November last year, over bonus payments.
Just before Christmas, Parliament paid out bonuses to staff within the bargaining unit, but also accused the Nehawu leadership in Parliament of misleading their members to willingly commit acts of gross misconduct.
Parliament met Nehawu at a meeting facilitated by the CCMA in December, which provided clarity to all parties on how the bonuses were to be paid, Parliament said in a statement at the time.
“Parliament reiterates that Nehawu embarked on an illegal strike that is not protected. The Nehawu leadership in Parliament misled their members to willingly commit acts of gross misconduct, knowing full well that it is an illegal and unprotected strike and as such, this constitutes an act of gross misconduct on the part of employees who participated therein.”
The agreement reached with the union expressly stated that the employer reserved the right to discipline any staff who committed acts of misconduct.
“The agreement reached does not exclude discipline and it does not extend to normal employer-employee relationship management,” Parliament said at the time. - ANA
(File photo: Gallo Images)