A total of 3500 Pikitup workers may be out of jobs if they do not return to work, Pikitup warned today.
Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe, MMC for the Environment and Infrastructure Services Department, said the protest the workers had embarked on was illegal and unprotected.
“It is completely unacceptable and a violation of the rights of residents to service delivery to have to witness another wave of unprotected labour action,” Mfikoe said. She spoke at the Pikitup offices in Braamfontein where the media was briefed on the protest of the workers on 10 March.
Mfikoe said some Pikitup workers were being intimidated by the protesting workers. Due to this, all Pikitup depots would remain closed until calm was restored.
HEADLINES: MMC MFIKOE – employees must return to work-illegal stoppages and trashing of our City cannot be justified under any circumstances
— Pikitup (@CleanerJoburg) March 10, 2016
“Ultimately we do have a contingency plan to carry on ensuring that the City of Joburg is cleaned. We cannot negotiate the City’s cleanliness. Despite contractors costing a lot of money, we will deploy them to help us out during this time,” Mfikoe added. She gave a stern warning to the protesting workers that if they did not return to work soon, Pikitup would issue them with letters of dismissal and would have the entire process wrapped up by next week.
She reiterated that Pikitup was in constant talks with SAMWU and that no Pikitup employer earned less than R6 000 per month.
HEADLINES: MMC MFIKOE – employees affiliated to SAMWU embarked on the stoppage yesterday while negotiations were in progress #Pikitup
— Pikitup (@CleanerJoburg) March 10, 2016
“Recent events clearly demonstrate that SAMWU is negotiating in bad faith and that employees affiliated with SAMWU embarked on the work stoppage while we were in negotiations with the union,” she explained.
