POLOKWANE – The strike commenced on Monday and Nehawu Branch Secretary, Masehlo Mojapelo, called on all members to down tools until their demands are met.
This follows after negotiations collapsed.
“Our demands were first tabled to the Department of Social Development in August 2015 and this year on 10 February our members embarked on a nationwide protest action to resubmit these demands,” Mojapelo said. He added now more than a month later the department is yet to respond to their demands.
The memorandum included the following demands:
• Placement of Assistant Community Development Practitioners (Masupatsela cadres) on the correct salary level.
• Entry level for support staff from salary level five to six.
• Abolishment salary level two and three for support staff.
• Immediate roll-out of uniforms for cleaners and security officers.
• The review of Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) for Social Service Professionals and Occupations.
• The introduction of rural allowance.
• The provision of tools of trade.
• The permanent absorption of jobless social workers.
• The permanent employment of all employees who are under the Gender Based Violence Command Centre.
• Improved conditions of service for all employees in the Department of Social Development.
• The implementation of the 2015 Social Work Indaba resolutions.
• The insourcing of all Public Secure Care Centres outsourced to Bosasa.
• The protection and respect of its noble council for Social Service Professionals.
“As a result of the collapsed negotiations, the leadership in all layers of the national union is deployed on the ground at picket lines to intensify the protest action,” Mojapelo said.
He added they are in the process of consulting with members in the South Africa Social Security Agency (Sassa) over their longstanding demands that have not been addressed by the department.
“Our members are already calling for a total indefinite shutdown of Sassa and the union is considering this option. They are now calling for all our members and all social development employees to come out in support of their demands,” he added.
Spokesperson for Social Development, Adele van der Linde, said the strike by DSD workers follows a deadlock in talks last year between National DSD and Nehawu.
“Since the demands are dealt with at national level, we will wait for talks to resume and for the outcome of such and cannot comment as the provincial department. We know of services being disrupted in centres the Capricorn, Waterberg and Mopani Districts. We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure that all essential services, where any, are rendered without fail.”
