WHILE the NUMSA strike is coming to a close around the country, staff members at the Kwa-Zulu Natal Institute of Architects based in Glenwood have embarked on a strike of a very different kind.
KZNIA and certain staff have reached deadlock on issues such as wage increments, as well as what is perceived to constitute the unfair allocation of benefits to employees.
“As a direct result of the parties not reaching agreement on these issues a certificate of outcome was issued through the CCMA reflecting the dispute as unresolved,” said the striker's labour advisor.
The KZNIA is a small office housed in Durban with four employees employed in a full-time capacity. Two of the employees, the Media Manager and Office Assistant employed by the Institute have declared this dispute hence the media exposure of 'the power of 2.'
Speaking to Berea Mail, an employee said, “This could have been averted! At the end of the day, we have to feed our children and pay for our own medical aid and pension funds, it's ridiculous,” she said.
There are however many supporters aligned to this strike who stand against the many perceived contradictory arguments forwarded by KZNIA in respect of staffing/ benefits and the like.
This strike constitutes a different form of striking in that it is being primarily conducted via electronic media. The strike has also aligned itself to the picketing programme anticipated to make its voice heard at the 25th UIA World Conference on Architecture. The staff members intend to hand over a memorandum to the UIA president as well as to the KZNIA president, the latter who has since indicated his refusal to accept same.
Kevin Bingham, president of KZNIA confirmed that two employees referred alleged unfair labour practice disputes concerning the provision of pension/provident fund and a dispute over their salary increments implemented earlier this year. “Both disputes have been conciliated before the CCMA and the CCMA has issued an advisory ruling to the employees concerned that neither of the disputes fall under the jurisdiction of the CCMA to arbitrate because their disputes do not concern disputes over existing rights but rather mutual interest disputes,” he said.
