The provincial education department yesterday warned striking staff at the Grahamstown district headquarters they could face legal or administrative action if they did not return to work.
More than 100 staff have been on strike since Monday over alleged bad management practices by district director Amos Fetsha.
Education department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani warned that continued strike action was “unwarranted and illegal”.
He said talks with four senior managers on Monday had resolved to attend to the problems immediately and return within a week with solutions. “In the meantime officials were instructed to resume their duties and cease their illegal unprotected industrial action.
“Their continued action remains unwarranted and illegal. This may compel the department to consider a legal and administrative remedy available to it,” Pulumani said.
Striking staff, who include senior managers, however vowed to only return to work when provincial education department officials had either redeployed or placed Fetsha on precautionary leave. Leaders said the “no work” decision was supported by all five unions at the district office.
They told the Daily Dispatch ongoing problems with Fetsha’s leadership style over the years had left them with no option but to call for his removal.
Ntsikelelo Mabusela, who works in human resource development, said they were supported by a “huge majority” of staff.
He said grievances included not filling 73 posts in the district office, staff doing much more than their workload and a lack of recognition of this when it came to performance assessments and bonuses.
According to Mabusela the “main trigger” for the strike action was performance assessments.
“There was a feeling staff were not being recognised by management in the performance assessments for the extra work they do because of vacancies not filled.”
Strike leaders also claimed Fetsha did not communicate with them over talks and decisions surrounding the streamlining of education districts in the province from 23 to 12 and that many faced an uncertain future if they had to move to new headquarters in Graaff-Rienet after the merger.
Fetsha yesterday denied the allegations, saying union officials knew as much about amalgamating the districts as he did as they also had representatives at provincial meetings and made inputs.
He said he held weekly meetings with key staff from the district. “There is no way they were in the dark even if I did not tell them.”
He said staff shortages were common throughout the province and not just in Grahamstown.
Protest leaders said staff had declared a grievance strike and were at work, but withholding their labour services until the issues were addressed.
Striking staff warned to start work
More than 100 staff have been on strike since Monday over alleged bad management practices by district director Amos Fetsha.
Education department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani warned that continued strike action was “unwarranted and illegal”.
He said talks with four senior managers on Monday had resolved to attend to the problems immediately and return within a week with solutions. “In the meantime officials were instructed to resume their duties and cease their illegal unprotected industrial action.
“Their continued action remains unwarranted and illegal. This may compel the department to consider a legal and administrative remedy available to it,” Pulumani said.
Striking staff, who include senior managers, however vowed to only return to work when provincial education department officials had either redeployed or placed Fetsha on precautionary leave. Leaders said the “no work” decision was supported by all five unions at the district office.
They told the Daily Dispatch ongoing problems with Fetsha’s leadership style over the years had left them with no option but to call for his removal.
Ntsikelelo Mabusela, who works in human resource development, said they were supported by a “huge majority” of staff.
He said grievances included not filling 73 posts in the district office, staff doing much more than their workload and a lack of recognition of this when it came to performance assessments and bonuses.
According to Mabusela the “main trigger” for the strike action was performance assessments.
“There was a feeling staff were not being recognised by management in the performance assessments for the extra work they do because of vacancies not filled.”
Strike leaders also claimed Fetsha did not communicate with them over talks and decisions surrounding the streamlining of education districts in the province from 23 to 12 and that many faced an uncertain future if they had to move to new headquarters in Graaff-Rienet after the merger.
Fetsha yesterday denied the allegations, saying union officials knew as much about amalgamating the districts as he did as they also had representatives at provincial meetings and made inputs.
He said he held weekly meetings with key staff from the district. “There is no way they were in the dark even if I did not tell them.”
He said staff shortages were common throughout the province and not just in Grahamstown.
Protest leaders said staff had declared a grievance strike and were at work, but withholding their labour services until the issues were addressed.
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