Pretoria – Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau has warned that the city will no longer tolerate disruptions by Pikitup employees who are on strike.
Addressing the media in Sandton this morning, Mayor Tau said the illegal industrial action by workers affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has seen the city’s streets turned into dumpsites.
“They damaged property along the way and continue to intimidate non-striking workers. These strikers have gone on to continuously frustrate efforts by the city to restore services to residents and normality at Pikitup,” he said.
The city is in possession of a memorandum of demands by SAMWU in which they want a salary increase and the removal of Pikitup Managing Director Amanda Nair.
Mayor Tau said an agreement was signed last year to serve as a framework to address the striking workers’ demands.
“It should be borne in mind that the wages demand is outside of the framework of the central negotiating chamber and the matter that is being dealt with is internal parity.
“It is regrettable that the situation has been reported as a dispute about salary demands and the city is of the view that the SAMWU leadership understands this well,” the Mayor said.
Mayor Tau said a process was established on 1 February 2016 to ascertain if the relationship between Nair and workers can be improved. However, due to lack of cooperation from the union, the process has stalled.
The Mayor said the city remains committed to negotiations under the PFA Agreement and is also anxious to find amicable solutions to the workers’ concerns.
Due to the strike by Pikitup workers, all the city’s seven regions are currently experiencing waste overflows. Some street collection points are fast becoming illegal dumpsites while services in some areas have been stopped due to intimidation and safety concerns.
The Mayor said the actions of the striking workers that place the health and safety of the city’s residents at risk are regrettable.
“There can be no justification for unprotected work stoppages and trashing of the city,” he said.
About 19 striking workers were arrested since the strike began. Eleven of these were released due to lack of evidence. Most people were arrested in Alexandra at the weekend and they all face criminal charges that range from public violence and attempted murder. – SAnews.gov.za
