An East London company is at loggerheads with the municipal workers’ union over claims of a lack of protective clothing for employees working with sewage.
This comes amid plans by the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) to celebrate the construction of a multimillion-rand sewerage facility in King William’s Town today.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and Mvezo Group Plant & Civils are embroiled in a labour dispute over several allegations relating to the rights of workers.
The company was contracted by BCM, in what is known as “contract 44”, to work on sewer facilities. It is alleged that protective clothing include raincoats, gloves and masks and first-aid are not supplied.
The two parties will be locking horns at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) next Tuesday.
Mvezo group manager Blaine Wilkins confirmed that the employees had indicated their dissatisfaction.
“Contract 44 expired on 30 June 2016 and continues on a month-to-month basis until the contract is re-awarded. It is denied that the employees are underpaid. It is vehemently denied that we have not issued the necessary protective clothing.
“While employees have complained about this issue, they have not been able to identify particular protective clothing which has not been issued to a particular employee. We have invited employees to be specific. However, no details are forthcoming.”
Wilkins said the company had a record of the protective clothing issued to the relevant employees.
Samwu organiser Nceba Mfaxa said they have taken the matter to the CCMA with an intention of embarking on a strike.
“There’s exploitation happening there and those workers are marginalised. They work like they work in a farm and have no leadership to fight for them. People who fought for them have been charged and fired. We want the CCMA to make a determination on whether it is right for an employee to instruct workers who work with human waste to wear their own clothes and what determines the company’s salaries,” he said.
Attempts were made to get a comment from metro spokesman Sibusiso Cindi, but a response had not been received at the time of writing. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
Union fights over protective clothing
This comes amid plans by the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) to celebrate the construction of a multimillion-rand sewerage facility in King William’s Town today.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and Mvezo Group Plant & Civils are embroiled in a labour dispute over several allegations relating to the rights of workers.
The company was contracted by BCM, in what is known as “contract 44”, to work on sewer facilities. It is alleged that protective clothing include raincoats, gloves and masks and first-aid are not supplied.
The two parties will be locking horns at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) next Tuesday.
Mvezo group manager Blaine Wilkins confirmed that the employees had indicated their dissatisfaction.
“Contract 44 expired on 30 June 2016 and continues on a month-to-month basis until the contract is re-awarded. It is denied that the employees are underpaid. It is vehemently denied that we have not issued the necessary protective clothing.
“While employees have complained about this issue, they have not been able to identify particular protective clothing which has not been issued to a particular employee. We have invited employees to be specific. However, no details are forthcoming.”
Wilkins said the company had a record of the protective clothing issued to the relevant employees.
Samwu organiser Nceba Mfaxa said they have taken the matter to the CCMA with an intention of embarking on a strike.
“There’s exploitation happening there and those workers are marginalised. They work like they work in a farm and have no leadership to fight for them. People who fought for them have been charged and fired. We want the CCMA to make a determination on whether it is right for an employee to instruct workers who work with human waste to wear their own clothes and what determines the company’s salaries,” he said.
Attempts were made to get a comment from metro spokesman Sibusiso Cindi, but a response had not been received at the time of writing. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
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