Suspended Putco workers warm seats at depots

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has called for an urgent meeting with the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council to discuss revised suspension conditions of Putco’s suspended employees.

Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi said the meeting will take place next week.

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The suspended employees have made Numsa aware of their displeasure with their suspension conditions, being denied leave and unconsented salary deductions.

Initially, the suspended employees served notice at home, but Putco instructed them to serve their suspension from the bus company’s Wynberg and Sandfontein depots.

In a letter from Putco, the hours are stipulated to be from 7.30am to 4.15pm. They are made to sign registers daily or forfeit their pay for the day.

Monday to Friday employees sit there waiting for knock-off time. Putco spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu said the conditions of the suspension were changed because of what they observed from employees.

“Due to widespread fraudulent and dishonest behaviour among many suspended employees, the company revised these suspension conditions,” said Xulu.

Hlubi said this is a gross violation of the law.

“Traditionally, when you are on suspension, you sit at home. You attend hearings when required and you are paid. Putco changed those conditions without consulting the union.

“That is the matter we have been fighting and we are angry that workers must sit at the depot. As far as we know, conditions at the depot are not humane.”

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Labour law expert Sabelo Khanya from Ismail and Dahya Attorneys said that an employer is allowed to set the suspension conditions as long as they are within employment duties.

However, “an employer may not make an unreasonable demand from the employee”.

An employee, who did not want to be identified, said: “ I fell ill and when I wanted to take sick leave, they refused.”

Another employee said he had a seizure at the depot and missed four days of work afterwards.

“At the end of that month they deducted R7 000 from my salary for the days missed,” he said.

Xulu said employees are permitted to take leave should it not disrupt the Section 188A CCMA inquiry they are undergoing for their 2022 protest over wages.