ELM mayor warns striking workers
VANDERBIJLPARK.- The Executive Mayor of Emfuleni Local Municipal (ELM), Gift Moerane, has warned his employees to return to work with the aim of reaching an amicable solution to their demands following their recent illegal strike.
He promised to meet with the ELM’s top leadership and pleaded with the workers to return to work but the workers have refused. The workers have been on strike in a dispute over salaries, conditions of employment and awards. The workers wanted their job levels elevated from level 16 to 12, in a demand that could cost the ELM municipality in excess of R77 million. Among their demands is the improvement of service level agreement. Some of the workers said they don’t care if principles like “no work, no pay” will be applied. For the past few weeks they have gone on rampage, destroying dustbins and sprawling the waste material all over the roads, particularly in town.
Addressing the protesting employees (General workers) outside the main ELM building in Vanderbijlpark on Monday, Moerane said he wants to get into the merits of the case and reach an amicable settlement with the employees. The negotiations between ELM management and representatives of the workers has so far failed to bear fruit and the mayoral committee resolved that an award in favour of the employees by the South African
Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) be taken for review.
The ELM has said that municipality is taking the matter on review, and consequently, will not be implementing the award until the matter is resolved.
