Statement by the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille
City commits to resolve issues with the South African Municipal
Workers Union
Today I personally received a memorandum of outstanding issues from the
South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU).
Below is a list of complaints and grievances from the union and the response
from myself as the Executive Mayor.
Complaint summary: Operational allowance for pregnant female firefighters.
The complaint is that pregnant female firefighters are taken off operational
duty when they declare their pregnancy and as a result lose their operational
allowance when they are taken off firefighting duty.
Response from the Executive Mayor: The rights of workers must be respected.
The current provision allows for a female employee who is three months into
their pregnancy term to be taken off operational duty such as firefighting. This
is an occupational health and safety measure. We will consider all health
and safety issues but the female employee will still be paid the regular
operational monthly allowances.
Complaint summary: The issue of disciplinary and grievances procedures. The
current position is that the delegation is with the line managers of
departments.
Response from Executive Mayor: The delegations will be changed so that the
final decision in disciplinary and grievance procedures will be with the
director of the department, with the oversight of the Executive Director of
that directorate.
Furthermore, the allegation made by SAMWU today that the right to appeal
in disciplinary matters was unilaterally revoked by the Executive Director of
Corporate Services is simply untrue. In fact, in a letter to the union dated 22
April 2015, the right to appeal hearings was reconfirmed by the City to
SAMWU again.
Complaint summary: SAMWU wants Expanded Public Works Programme
(EPWP) workers to become permanent employees.
Response from the Executive Mayor: EPWP is a National Government
programme for temporary work opportunities and the terms of the
employment are negotiated and agreed to at the National Economic
Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) where unions, government and
business have signed these agreements.
The City does not have the power to change the agreement and unions
must approach NEDLAC to discuss the terms and conditions of the EPWP
programme.
However, as the City, we will give an undertaking that all temporary EPWP
workers will be considered as and when permanent employment
opportunities arise.
Complaint summary: Transport allowances. The complaint is that the
application of transport allowances in the City is not consistent as to who,
when and how transport allowances are allocated.
Response from Executive Mayor: The City found this to be the case and we
will now negotiate with the unions to provide a transport allowance where
applicable to employees across the City. This decision will be implemented as
from the start of the new financial year, 1 July 2015.
Complaint summary: Job grading. There are outstanding task-related
appeals.
Response from the Executive Mayor: The City investigated this complaint but
SAMWU did not arrive at a meeting to discuss the complaint. The City has
responses for this complaint and the unions must provide us with a date for
when they can meet.
Complaint summary: Security at libraries. There was an allegation of attacks
and a robbery at gun-point.
Response from the Executive Mayor: The City is awaiting details from SAMWU
and the library management but details have not been forthcoming.
Complaint summary: Access to telephone, e-mail and internet for shop
stewards.
Response from the Executive Mayor: We do have facilities for the full-time
shop stewards who have dedicated offices in Athlone with these services
which are funded by the City.
For all other non-full-time shop stewards, access to e-mail, telephone and
internet will be provided on a case by case basis. I call on SAMWU to provide
me with details of the actual cases where access was not allowed and to
provide this list by Monday 11 May 2015.
Complaint summary: Allegations of racism in Khayelitsha by Dr Virginia de
Azevedo.
Response from the Executive Mayor: The City of Cape Town approached the
Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to
investigate these allegations. An initial meeting was planned for 18 March
2015. SAMWU did not arrive for this meeting. The next meeting at the CCMA
has been scheduled for 18 May 2015 and, up until today, SAMWU has still not
confirmed their attendance. I hereby appeal to SAWMU to attend the CCMA
meeting.
Complaint summary: The second allegation of racism that only black workers
from the Water and Sanitation Department’s Technical Operations Centre
are being relocated. The complaint was that the City did not consult on the
relocation of employees to the corporate call centre.
Response from the Executive Mayor: This is a lie. Out of the 10 employees
intended to relocated, three are white, five are coloured and two are black.
Furthermore, the transfer of the employees took place via an application
process.
In conclusion, there are weaknesses on both sides. The City of Cape Town is
committed to continue training City management to respect and deal with
unions better.
At the same time, the unions must train their shop stewards to deal with the
workers’ complaints and grievances more effectively.
I am inviting the union leadership to meet with me today so that we can
agree on how to implement what I have put forward today and sign the
agreement.