Rand Water ‘open to further talks’ amid threats of labour strike

Workers affiliated to the South African Municipal Worker's Union (Samwu) are up in arms over conditions of employment, including the non-payment of incentive bonuses. 

Rand Water and Samwu appeared before a Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Wednesday but both parties failed to find each other.  

The union was given a certificate of non-resolution and the right to strike but are required to give the water utility a 48-hour notice before downing tools.  

Tebogo Joala, Rand Water's general manager of communications and stakeholder relations, says they’ve called another meeting with Samwu on Friday.  

Joala believes the latest talks could help with attempts to avert a strike.  

“What we want to do is also express the view that we are speaking and communicating with the union. 

“This is a very amicable matter. We don’t believe that it’s a matter that even requires a strike but of course, the union and the workers have their rights. 

“From an organisations point of view, we continue to engage and attempt to make every effort that will get us to a point where we have resolved this matter,” Joala said. 

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He added incentive bonuses are still not on the table and further can’t pre-empt what alternatives would be made available to workers.   

“We have already mentioned that as far as the law is concerned, as far as the condition of service agreements that exist between us and the employees – bonuses do not form part of condition of service,” said Joala. 

“Where we stand now, we’re sitting with a board resolution that says we are not paying bonuses, but we are engaging now so I cannot pre-empt what the outcome of engagement will be, I cannot tell you what alternative views are on the table about this.” 

Rand Water still assured there were contingency plans in place to prevent a water outage, should negotiations fall through again. 

Listen to Tebogo Joala below: