Sadtu and Educ dept. head to court

A dispute between teachers' union Sadtu and the basic education department was set to be heard in the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Monday. 

   

The SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) is demanding that the department keep to its agreement to give a tariff increase to teachers who marked the exam papers of Grade 12 pupils at the end of the year, general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said.

   

Sadtu would continue its efforts to have a collective agreement signed between teacher unions and the department in 2011, and unilaterally withdrawn by the department without consulting the unions, reinstated, said Maluleke.

   

The matter was first heard in court in March, when the union argued that the termination of the agreement was unfair and unlawful. 

   

"The labour court reinstated the agreement, gave 14 days notice, and set the matter for a full trial from 12 until 15 August," said Maluleke. 

    

-Sapa