Samwu vows to explore ‘all possible avenues’ to halt Joburg dismissals
Updated | By Sibahle Motha
The South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) has vowed to do everything in its power to halt the dismissal of some 135 workers employed by the City of Johannesburg.
The union held a press briefing on Tuesday at its headquarters in Joburg.
Samwu deputy regional secretary Thobani Nkosi says the union will take to the streets if the process is not halted.
“We have therefore as Samwu taken a conscious decision that we will be challenging the unilateral change of conditions of employment of these employees.
“As Samwu in Johannesburg we have tabled before you that the processes that are going to unfold now, we are going to use all the avenues before us, the courts of law, our bargaining council. Even if it means we are going to the streets, as we’ve alluded earlier, because there is no way that when the DA takes over, we do not come across challenges.”
Last week, workers tied to the different political parties in the City of Johannesburg were informed that their permanent contracts would be rescinded.
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According to Mayor Mpho Phalatse, the appointments by the previous administration were illegal and did not follow due procedure.
But Samwu is disputing this.
“It is public knowledge that the contracts of employment of these employees were converted in March 2021, following the advertisement of the vacancies and the rigorous interview process," said regionalchairperson Ester Mtatyana.
“It is therefore unfortunate that the city has decided that these employees are political appointees and as such decided to terminate their contracts of employment without following due process let alone terminate the contracts on the basis misconduct, insubordination or the dereliction of duty.”
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