SAMWU commits itself to resolving dispute at City Power

After meeting the Management of City Power, The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) fully commits itself to clarifying and understanding the concerns of the workers in City Power. The Union acknowledges that workers do not take industrial action lightly, and intends to help address the grievances that have surfaced in relation to the action workers had taken and especially their unhappiness with the current shift system that they are being made to work.

Even though SAMWU was not involved in organising the action that City Power workers have embarked upon, we intend to represent them, as we do with all workers in this municipal owned entity. We will therefore accelerate engagements with our members, and with management in order to reach a fair and amicable solution to this dispute.

We have been concerned about the one sided reporting that has taken place in the media about the dispute, and of the unhelpful comments from certain representatives of the employers that have threatened to escalate the dispute further. We believe a calm and constructive approach is now required. 

We are also aware that there are disgruntled forces who are attempting to exploit this situation for their own ends. This Union is committed to quality public services, and cannot condone violence or sabotage by workers, and we believe this to be the view of the overwhelming majority of City Power workers.

At this moment in time our primary concern is to ensure that the grievances of the City Power workers are properly addressed and amicably resolved, and that our members are then able to deliver the services our communities need. We hope that the employers will adopt a similar constructive stance and not use this situation to either undermine SAMWU or resort to unhelpful victimisations. We believe this to be a positive way forward, and hope it will be embraced by all concerned.  

Statement issued by SAMWU's Johannesburg Regional Chairperson, Dion Makhura, September 17 2013

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