City of Tshwane, the municipal workers’ union SAMWU and the Independent Municipal Allied Trade Union (MATU) have agreed to resume conciliation talks on Thursday over wage demands.
Municipal workers are demanding an 18% salary hike, similar to the one offered to senior management earlier.
The South Africa Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) says City of Tshwane workers feel their management has betrayed them by increasing the salaries of senior employees by 18%.
Members of South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) have been on strike since Monday, demanding a similar wage hike.
The city, SAMWU and the Independent Municipal Allied Trade Union have agreed to resume conciliation talks on Thursday over wage demands.
The strike has caused major disruptions in the Pretoria CBD where the workers have been blockading some roads with buses and trucks.
SAFTU general-secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, says the workers’ demands are legitimate.
“It was not by the stupid mistake committed by the Tshwane management municipalities which decide to increase the salaries of people that it just employed as MKVA in the security department, to the exclusion of other people and gave them hefty increase and then comes the Tshwane municipality repeating the same thing, by giving its executives an 18% increase again to the exclusion of worker. This left workers very angry and you would agree they’re justified and that why they are demanding the municipality must give everybody 18% if it has money to give some 18% increase.”
Tshwane’s Acting Mayor, Abel Tau, says he’s confident an agreement will be reached with striking municipal workers.
Tau has admitted some managers were paid an increase of 18%.
Protesting City of Tshwane employees are overturning dustbins and throwing rubbish all over the place in the Pretoria CBD.
On Wednesday, Madiba Street between Paul Kruger and Sisulu streets were closed. Traffic were congested around the municipal head office, Tshwane House.
The Tshwane Metro says it has implemented contingency measures to ensure services are not disrupted in the city.
Municipal workers union, SAMWU has threatened to render the city ungovernable if their demands are not met.
