Red Alert Cleaning Services wants its striking Walter Sisulu University employees in Mthatha to go back to work on condition they sign final written warnings.
The company also wants its workers at the Nelson Mandela Drive WSU campus to pay for any damages caused at the campus during the strike, which started on March 16, the workers claimed yesterday.
The workers said they were told of the company’s terms and conditions on Tuesday – a day after WSU Mthatha campus rector Professor Mlungiseleli Jadezweni met with Red Alert, Xhobani Security Services and Idube Cleaners managers and leaders of the striking workers on Monday.
The workers said yesterday it had been agreed at Monday’s meeting they should go back to work while negotiations were ongoing about insourcing.
WSU spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo confirmed there was a meeting on Monday between the companies and Jadezweni.
However, Tukwayo said no conditions were attached to the workers’ return to work.
East London Red Alert branch manager Emile Mouton declined to comment, saying it was an ongoing matter that the company was trying to resolve.
At a meeting in Savoy Park yesterday, the workers agreed to go back to work with no terms or conditions attached to their return.
They unanimously agreed that their lawyers should be approached to interdict the companies from firing them until outsourcing was done away with.
The workers also resolved that when insourcing was achieved, they would be given first preference when staff were employed.
They also do not want to go back to work while three of their colleagues, who were arrested for public violence and accused of assaulting a manager, are still negotiating with the employer.
They also demand that the companies do not continue with their court application to interdict them from continuing with the strike. The interdict application is due to be heard on Tuesday.
The workers from the three companies downed tools last month in protest against outsourcing at the institution.
Yesterday, a leader of the striking workers, Lubabalo Bango, said the workers would only go back to work on their terms.
“We do not want to be victimised when we go back to work,” he said.
Bango said the workers were also demanding a wage hike from R2500 and R3000 for cleaners and security guards respectively to at least R5000.
Another leader, Monwabisi Nkuzo, said they were told to cut all ties with #Outsourcingmustfall activist Vusi Enoch Mahlangu and two “unruly” student organisations, Pasma and the EFF Student Command.
Mahlangu joined the workers in their fight against outsourcing at the institution last month.
He faces charges of perjury and defeating the ends of justice after he instructed his comrades to open a kidnapping case earlier this month when he disappeared while on his way to address the striking workers.
— ndamasem@dispatch.co.za
Striking workers balk at return terms
The company also wants its workers at the Nelson Mandela Drive WSU campus to pay for any damages caused at the campus during the strike, which started on March 16, the workers claimed yesterday.
The workers said they were told of the company’s terms and conditions on Tuesday – a day after WSU Mthatha campus rector Professor Mlungiseleli Jadezweni met with Red Alert, Xhobani Security Services and Idube Cleaners managers and leaders of the striking workers on Monday.
The workers said yesterday it had been agreed at Monday’s meeting they should go back to work while negotiations were ongoing about insourcing.
WSU spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo confirmed there was a meeting on Monday between the companies and Jadezweni.
However, Tukwayo said no conditions were attached to the workers’ return to work.
East London Red Alert branch manager Emile Mouton declined to comment, saying it was an ongoing matter that the company was trying to resolve.
At a meeting in Savoy Park yesterday, the workers agreed to go back to work with no terms or conditions attached to their return.
They unanimously agreed that their lawyers should be approached to interdict the companies from firing them until outsourcing was done away with.
The workers also resolved that when insourcing was achieved, they would be given first preference when staff were employed.
They also do not want to go back to work while three of their colleagues, who were arrested for public violence and accused of assaulting a manager, are still negotiating with the employer.
They also demand that the companies do not continue with their court application to interdict them from continuing with the strike. The interdict application is due to be heard on Tuesday.
The workers from the three companies downed tools last month in protest against outsourcing at the institution.
Yesterday, a leader of the striking workers, Lubabalo Bango, said the workers would only go back to work on their terms.
“We do not want to be victimised when we go back to work,” he said.
Bango said the workers were also demanding a wage hike from R2500 and R3000 for cleaners and security guards respectively to at least R5000.
Another leader, Monwabisi Nkuzo, said they were told to cut all ties with #Outsourcingmustfall activist Vusi Enoch Mahlangu and two “unruly” student organisations, Pasma and the EFF Student Command.
Mahlangu joined the workers in their fight against outsourcing at the institution last month.
He faces charges of perjury and defeating the ends of justice after he instructed his comrades to open a kidnapping case earlier this month when he disappeared while on his way to address the striking workers.
— ndamasem@dispatch.co.za
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