Johnathan Paoli
THE SA Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) dismissed an application by the Tshwane Metro on Sunday for exemption from implementing the last leg of a wage deal reached in council in 2021.
The ruling comes as the City of Tshwane employees, who are members of Samwu, have been on strike since July 26, demanding that the metro implement a 5.4% wage increase- the last leg of a three-year wage agreement signed in the SALGBC in 2021.
The City applied for a deviation from the 2021 Wage Collective Agreement for this financial year, citing financial difficulties.
However, the council ruled against the Metro in favour of the workers, stating the reasons put forward by the municipality as insufficient for an exemption to be applied.
The strike action, which has turned violent with at least one employee shot and city infrastructure affected, has also impacted essential services such as water supply and bus operations.
The city said it would be appealing the decision by the council and approaching the Labour Court on an urgent basis to review the ruling, with city spokesperson Selby Bokaba expressing disappointment and said the city presented compelling arguments supported by evidence.
Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink confirmed the metro’s decision to review the decision in the Labour court, saying that while the council took into account the dire financial straits that the metro is facing, it proceeded to decline the application for exemption.
“We believe there are grounds for a review of this decision and that’s what we are going to do in the best interest of Tshwane,” Brink said.
Samwu general secretary Dumisane Magagula said the union welcomes the decision to dismiss Tshwane’s “frivolous exemption application” and implored the metro management to “do the right thing and comply with the collective agreement and the SALGBC ruling”.
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