Pikitup strike is over

10 April 2016

 

Striking Pikitup workers are expected to return to work on Monday April 11 after the City of Johannesburg and the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) reached an agreement to end the illegal work stoppage following three days of negotiations facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

 

The end of the protracted strike was announced by Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe at a media briefing at the Johannesburg Theatre on Sunday April 10.

“I’m really happy that common sense has finally prevailed,” MMC Mfikoe said in the wake of mounting concerns of possible outbreaks of disease as garbage continued to pile up on streets and pavements in many parts of the city.

MMC Mfikoe was flanked by Congress of South African Trade Union’s Gauteng provincial secretary Dumisani Dakile, SAMWU’s provincial secretary Nonceba Mbilini, Pikitup Chairperson Dr Trish Hanekom and CCMA commissioners Cameron Morajane, Kaizer Thibedi and Malesela Moboya as she announced the end of the strike.

“I’d like to again apologise to residents on behalf of the political leadership of the City for the inconvenience caused by the illegal stoppage of work. I’d also like to appeal to residents to be patient as it will take time for collection to waste normalise,” she said.

“I wish to assure residents that extraordinary measures are being taken to deal with residual purified waste, the increase in the rat population and proliferation of insects. Over the past two weeks, the City has been able to substantively contain any further deterioration of the situation through the establishment of a joint operating centre by the City Manager (Trevor Fowler) to deal with the dumping and continuance of operations … I’m confident that this agreement paves the way to creating a climate of harmonious relations at Pikitup. This will require concerted efforts by management and the leadership of SAMWU.”

Dakile said it had not been an easy process.

He said all employees would return to work immediately and that there would be an end to all acts of intimidation, violence, victimisation and harassment.

MMC Mfikoe said, however, that disciplinary actions instituted by the City would continue. She said a dossier containing 18 allegations levelled against Pikitup Managing Director Amanda Nair had been referred to an independent company for investigation. It is expected to make its findings soon.

Pikitup, the City’s waste management entity, will make a once-off payment of R750 to all grades A and B workers. This will be taken into account in further negotiations, which will begin on Monday April 11. The City’s no-work, no-pay rule will apply. However, both parties agreed that the money be deducted from the workers’ salaries over three months – 50% in April and 25% each in May and June.

In the event the agreement is not reached, the parties will consider referring the dispute for arbitration. All salary adjustments will be backdated to January 1.
The City’s joint operation centre has been mandate to clear the backlog of uncollected waste by April 30.