eThekwini municipal contract workers threaten to play dirty if they are not made permanent

Contracted eThekwini municipality employees have threatened to vandalise the city centre if they are not made permanent.

This emerged when workers aligned to the Municipal and Allied Trade Union of South Africa (Matusa) in the city’s expanded public works programme (EPWP) picketed outside the Durban City Hall on Wednesday.

At least 200 people gathered there to await an update on a conciliation process facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) between the union and the city.

Among disputes Matusa submitted to the CCMA was a demand to be recognised by the employer and represented at the bargaining council.

Matusa deputy secretary-general Thulani Ngwenya told TimesLIVE the city refused to recognise the union, prompting it to take the matter to the CCMA.

“What happened today [Wednesday] was for the application to proceed, but a point was raised that there needed to be a verification process to determine whether we have enough members. We didn’t have a problem with that because we know we have more than 5,500 members in eThekwini,” said Ngwenya.

“We first lodged the dispute at the bargaining council, but it didn’t have jurisdiction, so we took it to CCMA. The matter was heard last week for conciliation, where the commissioner advised parties that since some workers had been taken on full-time, the parties should sit down and find a way to absorb the remaining workers. That case in ongoing. We’re now waiting for an arbitration date.”

Some workers had been with EPWP for more than five years, which demonstrated they offered a necessary service and should be made permanent, Ngwenya added.

“Our argument is simple: the employer has a need for these workers, so why not absorb them? Now they are deprived of employee benefits.”

An EPWP worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she was a permanent employee, but did not get the benefits afforded to such workers.

“I’m permanent now ... yet my salary tells a different story. I don’t get a single benefit that says I’m permanent. I once fell from a moving truck and had a head injury, but wasn’t compensated for injury on duty. Others slip on rainy days and get leg injuries, yet we don’t have access to that benefit.”

Another “performed the work of a permanent worker, but didn't get the same recognition”.

“I work Monday to Friday on the streets, yet I’m still not permanent. Right now they will be getting performance bonuses, but an EPWP worker who does the work of a permanent worker will get nothing. We don’t get bonuses.”

She added that union members would “vandalise the city” if there was no progress on their demands by the time the festive season starts in December.

“If this persists and Matusa is not granted what we demand, we will put pressure on the leadership of Matusa to allow us to take to the streets because the leadership of the city is disrespecting us.

“If the city is dirty in December, that will be great because it will remind them of the role we play,” she said.

The city did not immediately respond to queries. 

TimesLIVE

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