Council gives municipal management the finger in backpay controversy
Council was locked in a marathon sitting on Friday during which the august house resolved that disgruntled municipal employees would receive equal payouts of the money allocated to backpay following the municipal salary and job grade benchmarking with Nkomati Municipality.
During Friday’s volatile sitting, it was ultimately decided that directors and municipal management will forfeit their backpay to satisfy their lower-level colleagues.
Grade level 15 to 18 employees will not receive any backpay while a once-off, ex-gratia payment of R7078 will be received by all lower-level employees between grade levels 3 and 15.
Both the DA and FF+ formally objected to the decision, after level 16 to 18 employees asked for a 20% cut of the pool to be divided among management.
Council, however, resolved that job level 16 to 18 employees benefited enough from the benchmarking process and subsequent salary increases.
Management can lodge appeals which will then head to the newly established conflict resolution committee.
According to reliable sources within council, level 16 to 18 employees never agreed to a zero pay-out, but requested 20% of the pool.
When councillors went out to address employees about the 20% demand, they were sworn at and ordered back into council, being told not to vacate the chamber before agreeing to workers’ demands.
Following another two hour debate on the unfairness, and possible legal action to be faced by the municipality, a decision was taken to divide the pool equally between all lower-level workers.
The DA, the MHRF’s Rehana Pilodia and the FF+ then officially lodged objections, in case level 16 to 18 employees decide to challenge the council resolution in court.
Municipal employees have all returned to work and services have been restored.
