Emfuleni traffic officers down tools for three hours over food and nightshift allowances

The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) traffic officers recently briefly downed tools after they were apparently not given money for food, and not paid their overtime and nightshift allowances.

The officers were paid their monthly salaries, however, not being paid overtime or nightshift allowance was enough to provoke them into strike mode on 5 June, reports Vaal Weekblad.

The officers claimed their employer (ELM) did not inform them in advance about the change in payment for food and nightshift allowances.

They arrived early in the morning in their staff cars to negotiate with their employers before going on strike for three hours until they were told by their employer that an outstanding payment would be paid on their bank accounts on Monday this week.

Some refused to go back to work on “empty stomachs” and because they had bills to pay and “groceries to buy” for their families.

The officers went further to blame their shop stewards for not keeping them up to date.

“When we need them they are nowhere to be found, yet they always claim to represent us,” they said.

At the time of publishing, no comment had been received from the shop stewards of the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) at the ELM.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.