The SA Municipal Workers Union has resolved to get millions of extended public works programme workers fully employed by councils across the country. Samwu's central executive committee met last week and took a decision that workers in the poverty-alleviation programme be employed by municipalities because they were being exploited as contract workers."EPWP workers have a special place in Samwu. We can relate to the victimisation and exploitation they experience day to day at the hands of municipalities."We regard EPWP workers as municipal workers and as such they should be organised by Samwu. We will therefore be making a submission in the SA Local Government Bargaining Council on the issue of EPWP."We want all EPWP workers to be permanently employed by municipalities with full benefits," Samwu said.The extended public works programme was introduced in 2004 to alleviate poverty and to create work opportunities coupled with training.According to the Department of Public Works, some EPWP participants get permanent employment across all the three spheres of government.In the quarter to March, 1.1million work opportunities were reported across all EPWP sectors nationally.The current minimum daily wage rate is R75.10 and will be increased to R78.86 with effect from November 1, but the average payment is R115 per day.The SA Local Government Association, which represents 278 municipalities across the country, said Samwu's proposal had not been brought to its attention."Salga has yet to receive a formal submission from Samwu to negotiate the matter under the auspices of the bargaining council, which will enable Salga to properly engage with municipalities for a mandate as well as properly interrogate what appears to be different dispensations of EPWP implementation in municipalities," said Salga spokesman Sivuyile MbambatoWhile the move by Samwu could turn the trade union into the biggest in the country, there are doubts municipalities can afford to pay more people in the current economic conditions.During wage negotiations Salga indicated that it was difficult for municipalities to pay the wage increases demanded by the union."The EPWP does not provide permanent jobs. However, public bodies across government are encouraged to prioritise EPWP workers for permanent employment opportunities that become available," Public Works Department spokes man Kgomotso Mathuloe said.The latest phase of the extended public works programme is targeting 6million work opportunities between 2014 and 2019 and R359-million is being spent in the current financial year...