SADTU's proposed go-slow constitutes an illegal strike
The DA is not deceived by SADTU's announcement of a go-slow commencing this week. Teachers are obliged by the Employment of Educators Act and their conditions of service to work outside of the seven hours of teaching. Refusing to work more than seven hours a day is tantamount to declaring the withholding of labour, and thus constitutes the declaration of a strike.
There appear to be three primary reasons for this "go-slow".
The first is the failure of the Department of Education to honour a 2011 agreement to increase the salaries of matric exam markers. This failure, and the alleged breakdown of the collective bargaining process in this regard, affects only markers; it does not affect the conditions of service of teachers.
The second is the call by SADTU for the removal of Minister Motshekga and the Education Department Director-General, Bobby Soobrayan. This call has merits and demerits but the fact is that neither the Minister nor the DG plan on resigning soon, and SADTU hasn't explained how the current Minister and DG's continued presence affects the conditions of service of teachers.
The third is SADTU's anger and resentment towards the Minister's announcement of a biometric attendance monitoring system. Again, their argument has merits and demerits, but the issue does not affect the conditions of service of teachers.
There is not a single provision on which SADTU can rely to justify their protest action.
Minister Motshekga must exercise decisive leadership and call SADTU back to the collective bargaining table to prevent this illegal strike from taking place.
If necessary, the Minister must pursue court action to ensure that this "strike in disguise" ends forthwith. Every MEC of Education, in every province, must implement disciplinary action against those teachers who participate in this action.
Education is far more than learners and teachers interacting in a classroom. It includes the instilling of values such as discipline, respect and cooperation - none of which are reflected in the current SADTU action. It includes participation in extra-curricular activities such as sport, art and music; all of these opportunities are now being withheld. Teachers must be present for a full schooling day to ensure that learners receive the full experience of being at school.
Educational outcomes cannot be used as political leverage; Minister Motshekga must exercise her authority, and urgently call SADTU back to the negotiating table to resolve the current impasse.
Statement issued by Annette Lovemore MP, DA Shadow Minister of Basic Education, April 9 2013
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
