Tshwane threatens to dismiss more striking Samwu members
Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink said on Friday that continued violence and intimidation by members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) had left the city unable to deliver basic services.
Workers affiliated with Samwu downed tools at the end of July in what the city deems to be an unprotected strike.
The city’s municipal workers are unhappy over various issues, including the non-payment of salary increases.
Workers are demanding 3.5% and 5.4% salary increases, which Brink said the city cannot afford.
The city on Wednesday announced that it had issued 41 letters of intention to dismiss striking employees, while 15 employees had also been arrested for their involvement in the protest.
"Let me give you the assurance once again. The city is not taking this lying down. Letters of warning have been issued to striking employees,” Brink said on Friday.
“There will be another batch of letters. Another batch of letters is going out from the desk of the city manager. There will be consequences for destructive behaviour and criminality in the city.”
The city was ordered by the South African Local Government Bargaining Council last Thursday to increase its employees' salaries by 5.4% for the year beginning July 1, within 10 days.
At the same time, the city indicated that it would be filing for a bargaining council exemption due to its precarious financial position.
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