Members of the SA Municipal Workers Union civic constituency might face disciplinary action after the union accused them of crossing the line and creating unnecessary panic among all members
MEMBERS of the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) civic constituency might face disciplinary action after the union accused them of crossing the line and creating unnecessary panic among all members
This is after the members approached the media and announced their intention to sit in on Monday’s special council meeting at Sol Plaatje Municipality to air their frustrations regarding “unfair” labour practices.
The members claimed that they no longer recognised their local shop stewards and claimed to have passed a vote of no confidence against their leadership.
According to the civic constituency, the intention was to demand that their outstanding labour practice issues be resolved.
Samwu local distanced itself from the above claims and said they were made by a small group from the civic constituency, who have “no right” to speak on behalf of all 1,300 members..
Samwu said that if there was a decision for a sit-in at the council meeting, then there should be an attendance register of the members who agreed to such a mandate.
Samwu local secretary Nomathamsanqa Banda said that the union would rather take its frustrations to the street instead of disrupting a constitutional meeting.
Banda said Samwu has been transparent and communicates with its members on the outcomes of all dealings with the employer (Sol Plaatje Municipality).
She said the matter of the contract workers was the only outstanding issue on the memorandum that they handed to the municipality during their strike action in 2020.
“All our demands were resolved, except the absorption of the contract workers. The case is currently at the Labour Court, which is expected to sit on September 9,” said Banda.
She said that the vacancies that the members had queried, were procedurally and externally advertised for contract workers who will only come in as and when required.
According to Banda, the members did attempt to pass an “unconstitutional” vote of no confidence in the shop steward’s leadership by drafting a petition, where some of the Samwu members were “misled”.
She explained that, in order to pass a vote of no confidence in the shop stewards, there was supposed to have been a formal meeting, with minutes, ahead of the approach.
“The members were supposed to communicate with our human resources at head office for the regional secretary to sign it off before being implemented. Not through a petition signed in the corridors by a few disgruntled members who misled a few of the members into signing.
“Some of the members who signed the petition went to withdraw their signatures afterwards, citing that they were misled.
“A petition that was constitutionally created wrongfully will not stand.”
