Gauteng MEC of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs intervention in the PikitUp strike has led to it coming to an end. Mamabolo said that the employees of PikitUp who were on strike will return to their work stations on 3 December and with 100 percent staff resuming work on 4 December 2015.
“The City of Johannesburg and South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) will hold a bilateral meeting on 3 December 2015 to give effect to this agreement,” he said
The strike started two weeks ago and has left the Johannesburg CBD littered with waste and garbage and foul smell. According to the MEC, the agreement will return the quality of life of residence of City of Johannesburg which has been a priority. “The parties resolved to enter into a mutually beneficial agreement to relieve the residents of the City of Johannesburg of the inconvenience brought to bear on their quality of life by the ongoing unprotected strike with legitimate workers’ demands,” said MEC Mamabolo.
The intervention, which is part of political facilitation by the MEC, started on Monday and was part of his mandate to provide support to municipalities, and also as delegated by Premier David Makhura to be responsible for labour sector.
The meeting was attended by SAMWU, led by its President Pule Molalenyane, Cosatu Gauteng province secretary Dumisani Dakile the CoJ Member of Mayoral Committee responsible for environment, Matshidiso Mfikoe, as well as City Manager of City of Johannesburg Trevor Fowler. Mamabolo said that the meetings led to the parties agreeing to a cessation of hostilities so as to give effect to this agreement.
“Acting on behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government, I have appointed Senior Counsel, Advocate Azhar Bham to work with the parties to facilitate the resolution of the dispute by creating a positive and conducive climate for engagement between parties, and also providing strategic support to the process,” said the MEC
Mamabolo said that the meeting agreed on the following:
- The City Manager will implement a city wide process (covering all employees of the City) to resolve salary disparities, and such a process will include amongst others, the objective consideration of SAMWU’s input and benchmarking.
- Pursuant to the above, that the city wide process will prioritize Pikitup employees and that such a process will complete its preliminary process by finalising the overall cost within 2 weeks of signature of this agreement. Such a cost estimate will improve and enhance the negotiation process between the parties to be finalised by the end of February 2016.
- In this regard, and based on the outcomes of the process of the Pikitup prioritized employees, a phased-in approach will be considered by the parties, preferably for an agreeable quantum to be introduced in this financial year and rolled out over the next financial years.
- As from 1 February 2016 a process will be commenced to establish if the relationship between the Managing Director of PikitUp and employees can improve. This process must be completed within 3 months. The outcome of this process will be presented to the parties. This process will also include assessment of the factors that contributed to the current strike, and how such factors will guide the process of levelling of charges against employees or otherwise.
- That the parties will discuss various options and preferred modalities on how to mitigate and manage the adverse effect of the principle of no work no pay on employees who participated in the strike.
- That SAMWU will table a proposal on an Incentive Scheme for employees not covered by the normal performance awards and bonus scheme in case of improved organisational performance and that the City will objectively consider such a proposal. SAMWU will in the meeting with management contemplated in clause 12 below table/introduce a proposal for a hold on bonus payments to other employees pending resolution of the matter.
- That all charges relating to this strike levelled against employees will be referred to Senior Counsel for further engagement with the parties and will be dealt with as part of clause 5 above.
- All parties commit to respect the letter and spirit of this agreement and to co-operate with, and respect Senior Counsel to give effect to this agreement.
- Any dispute between the parties hereto relating to any matter arising out of this agreement or the interpretation thereof shall be resolved through normal and existing dispute resolution mechanism.
Enquiries:
Motsamai Motlhaolwa
Tel: 011 355 4873
Cell: 0798972240
E-mail:motsamai.motlhaolwa@gauteng.gov.za
