SAMWU says Pikitup strike claims are ‘PR stunt’
The South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) on Friday rejected claims that its members who work for waste management company Pikitup had gone on an illegal strike.
Pikitup spokesperson Pansy Jali said on Friday that collection refuse operations had been put on hold in Johannesburg since Thursday due to a continued “illegal” strike by workers.
But Samwu Secretary General, Simon Mathe, denied that workers had downed tools and instead said the had attended a meeting on Thursday and had returned to work on Friday.
“Pikitup workers yesterday (Thursday) were in a general meeting not on an illegal work stoppage as the City of Johannesburg tells you. Our workers are back at work. The City’s statement is just a PR stunt. On Thursday we were discussing the corruption charge we want to lay against Amanda Nair (Pickitup CEO),” Mathe said.
On Thursday reports said workers held a demonstration in Braamfontein outside Pikitup offices after members were called in for a disciplinary hearing.
On Friday the City of Johannesburg Friday said: “We therefore appeal to residents and business owners to bear with us and to continue to leave their bins and excess waste inside their yards until further notice. These disruptions are of great concern to us, our shareholder (the City of Johannesburg) but most importantly our residents and the business owners serviced by Pikitup on a daily basis”. - ANA