Employees at premier Phumulo Masualle’s office yesterday downed tools in protest over management’s failure to increase their salaries.
About 80 National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) members camped outside the office of the premier (OTP) vowing to do so until the salaries of those at level nine are increased to 10 and those at 11 increased to 12.
They say the department of public service and administration (DPSA) endorsed the adjustments, with some departments in the province having already implemented the changes.
Attempts to get comment from the DPSA were unsuccessful at the time of writing yesterday.
Employees are expected to blockade entrances to Bhisho state house, where Masualle’s office is located, again today.
Siyabonga Kobese, the secretary of Nehawu’s Max Madlingozi region, said the workforce met last month with then provincial director-general (DG) Dr Loyiso Mbabane, who promised to establish an independent panel of job evaluation experts to look into the matter.
Kobese said the panel was supposed to have completed its work by February 6. He said employees were told in a meeting last Thursday that the resolution taken by Mbabane would not be implemented.
“Workers have decided to down tools due to the failure of management to implement resolutions agreed upon with the previous DG.
“It seems like management does not want to own up on decisions taken by the former DG.”
Mbabane resigned on January 31, only weeks into assuming duty on January 6, after he was arrested for allegedly raping a close relative.
Kobese said a resolution was taken in the bargaining council on upgrading salary levels, “but there has been no movement by management in implementing that resolution and hence workers feel they have been undermined”.
“Management has not adhered to that agreement and there has been no attempt demonstrated that they will look into that resolution.
“Instead workers are told management cannot be held responsible for decisions taken by Mbabane.
Acting DG Mahlubandile Qwase and OTP spokeswoman Mandisa Titi could not be reached for comment at the time of writing yesterday. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
OTP staff down tools over lag in salary raises
About 80 National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) members camped outside the office of the premier (OTP) vowing to do so until the salaries of those at level nine are increased to 10 and those at 11 increased to 12.
They say the department of public service and administration (DPSA) endorsed the adjustments, with some departments in the province having already implemented the changes.
Attempts to get comment from the DPSA were unsuccessful at the time of writing yesterday.
Employees are expected to blockade entrances to Bhisho state house, where Masualle’s office is located, again today.
Siyabonga Kobese, the secretary of Nehawu’s Max Madlingozi region, said the workforce met last month with then provincial director-general (DG) Dr Loyiso Mbabane, who promised to establish an independent panel of job evaluation experts to look into the matter.
Kobese said the panel was supposed to have completed its work by February 6. He said employees were told in a meeting last Thursday that the resolution taken by Mbabane would not be implemented.
“Workers have decided to down tools due to the failure of management to implement resolutions agreed upon with the previous DG.
“It seems like management does not want to own up on decisions taken by the former DG.”
Mbabane resigned on January 31, only weeks into assuming duty on January 6, after he was arrested for allegedly raping a close relative.
Kobese said a resolution was taken in the bargaining council on upgrading salary levels, “but there has been no movement by management in implementing that resolution and hence workers feel they have been undermined”.
“Management has not adhered to that agreement and there has been no attempt demonstrated that they will look into that resolution.
“Instead workers are told management cannot be held responsible for decisions taken by Mbabane.
Acting DG Mahlubandile Qwase and OTP spokeswoman Mandisa Titi could not be reached for comment at the time of writing yesterday. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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