Police call on striking 10111 workers to return to work or face disciplinary action

Police have called on all 10111 striking workers to return to work no later than Friday or face disciplinary steps.

Police spokesman Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said the strike action which was called by the South African Policing Union (SAPU) was initially a protected strike. “However‚ earlier this month an agreement was entered into at the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council (SSSBC) to which both POPCRU as the majority union in the SSSBC as well the South African Police Service are signatories.”

Naidoo said the agreement rendered the strike action unprotected.

“Although SAPU was not a signatory to the agreement‚ the said agreement is enforceable and it renders the strike action unprotected.”

Naidoo said SAPU had been made aware of the agreement and that it could no longer claim protection of a protected strike.

“Unfortunately‚ the strike action is still continuing and all the striking employees have been called upon to immediately cease such action and return to duty no later than 29 September 2017 or face disciplinary action.”

However‚ SAPU disputed the police’s version‚ stating that there was a dispute as to whether POPCRU was a majority union in the police service.

SAPU general secretary Oscar Skommere also said in terms of the constitution of bargaining council‚ where a union were a majority in a specific police sector – such as 10111 –the employer had to engage with that union.

“Out of 900 plus members attached to 10111‚ 800-plus members belong to SAPU.”

Skommere said it had written a letter to police management and raised the union’s concerns about the police letter to it.

“We said Agreement 4 of 2017 signed this month does not address the dispute‚ the dispute remains.”

Skommere said it had asked police management to withdraw its letter instructing its members to return to work.

“If police management fails to withdraw the letter‚ we have no option but to approach the court for intervention.”