Samwu consults workers about Pikitup offer
The SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) on Thursday confirmed that the City of Joburg had put a wage offer on the table to end the salary impasse between its waste-management company, Pikitup, and its workers.
Pikitup workers were on Thursday morning consulting with the union’s leadership to decide on the offer.
Samwu’s regional secretary, Meisie Sekaledi, said shop stewards were currently communicating the offer with their members at Pikitup depots to get their feedback.
Sekaledi said the members’ feedback would be presented to Pikitup on Thursday afternoon at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
“We don’t want to say anything about the offer the employer has made without our members knowing. We have to go back to the CCMA at 2pm today. If our members accept the offer, we will sign. If they don’t, we will present their demands,” Sekaledi said.
At least 4,000 Pikitup workers affiliated to Samwu embarked on an unprotected strike on March 9, demanding wage hikes from R6,000 to R10,000 a month.
Discussions to resolve the industrial action facilitated by the CCMA with Pikitup and Samwu started on Tuesday, April 5, and reconvened on Friday, April 8, culminating in a settlement agreement.
Pikitup and Samwu agreed that workers would return to work immediately, and that Pikitup would make a once-off payment of R750 to all Grade A and B workers.
Approximately 95 percent of Pikitup depot-based workers reported to their respective depots on Monday morning.
They commenced with their normal scheduled waste management services which include refuse collection, street sweeping and litter picking.
It was also agreed that the eventual salary increments agreed to in negotiations would be backdated to January this year.
Further negotiations commenced on Monday, April 11 to Wednesday April 13, under the auspices of the CCMA to conclude pay parities at the entity.
The negotiations on salary benchmarking were be to based on the principle of a salary scale, a common grading system, and salary progression based on tenure and job performance.
CCMA director, Cameron Sello Morajane, on Sunday congratulated the parties on their successful engagement, saying that it was a victory for facilitated dialogue and that it was attributed to the commitment of the parties to finding a lasting resolution. - ANA