Local Government negotiations collapse due to irrational employer

The South African Municipal Workers Union SAMWU would like to alert its members and the general public to the arrogant attempts by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in handling negotiations around the Main Collective Agreement. This agreement governs many aspects of the sector; these negotiations have been going on for almost a year.

As a result of the employer body's stance to negotiations, municipal workers will be urgently engaging with its members to decide on the most appropriate way forward, municipal workers may decide to embark on industrial action.

We would also like to dismiss the blatant lies being perpetuated by SALGA that the Unions have walked out of negotiations; we still remain committed to the negotiating process. The employer body must come back to the negotiating table with an intention to negotiate (give and take) and not with a view to frustrate talks.

The Main Collective Agreement for the sector was signed in 2003; the material conditions on the ground necessitated our submission on the improvement of conditions of service, but our submission was responded to with arrogance from the Employer body without any justification. Given the importance of the Local Government Sector it is necessary to have a progressive Main Collective agreement. The Main Collective Agreement includes important aspects such as; grievance procedure, conditions of service, rules of the Bargaining Council, organisational rights and others.

We have observed through the negotiation process since last year that SALGA is clueless about the sector it operates in, as it continues to make ridiculous submissions during negotiations that are to the detriment of service delivery. The wage curve saga (an attempt to attain pay parity in the sector) which is an issue also deadlocked in negotiations, is yet another example of the inability of SALGA to resolve issues that are critical to the sector.

We hold the view that SALGA had never intended to progressively conclude a new collective agreement with improved conditions of service. As a result they resorted to frustrating negotiations by refusing to make any concessions, despite this being a process of negotiations, where parties are expected to give and take. As a result of the above, parties positions remain far apart because of the unreasonable attitude displayed by employer body SALGA.

The negotiations have now collapsed, we have declared a dispute on this matter and all our structures would now begin a process of seeking mandates from members; requesting from them to pronounce on the best way forward. Municipal workers may decide to embark on industrial action over this important matter.

Statement issued by SAMWU General Secretary Walter Theledi, June 20 2013

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