CITY officials are in talks with SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) over the millions in backpay it owes municipal workers after the Supreme Court of Appeal reversed the conditions of service agreement implemented by the city in 2007, and ruled that the city back pay employees who had lost allowances and other benefits.
Despite the court order, the more than 20 000 municipal workers have still not been paid and this week threatened to go on strike in an attempt to force the city to pay what it owes.
Last year, after the ruling, a technical task team was set up by city manager Sibusiso Sithole to investigate the financial implications the ruling would have on the municipality. Sithole at the time said the money it owed would be off-set by the money certain employees who had been overpaid when the conditions of service agreement was implemented, owed the municipality. However, unions say they will fight attempts by the municipality to force employees to pay back the money.
City officials met the unions on Monday to discuss a report compiled by the task team. It was reported in the media that no common ground had been found on the municipality’s attempts to force employees to pay back what they had been overpaid. The unions will meet with members this week to discuss a mandate for a strike.
