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BL Premium reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) advised on Thursday that it was appealing a Labour Court ruling which had declared the union’s intended strike at Rand Water unprotected.
The union threatened to go on strike on Thursday after the bulk water utility failed to abide by an agreement that was made an order of the court in April. In April, Rand Water withdrew its decision not to pay performance incentive bonuses to its staff pending the outcome of a hearing at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). In return, its employees belonging to Samwu agreed to suspend their industrial action. In an agreement, which Labour Court judge André van Niekerk made an order of the court, the two parties agreed to meet at the CCMA for further engagement. Last week, Samwu criticised Rand Water for failing to withdraw the circular, saying it would embark on a strike as the CCMA had issued the union with a certificate of non-resolution. On Tuesday, however, Rand Water approached the Labour Court for an order declaring the intended strike unprotected, and the court ruled in the water utility’s favour. On Thursday, Samwu’s Mamorena Madisha indicated: “Despite our certificate of non-resolution as issued by the CCMA, the labour court declared the [strike] unprotected, so we have postponed it pending the appeal outcome.” Most of Rand Water’s 3,000-strong workforce are essential-service workers. The water utility has warned that it would be “a serious offence that may even lead to dismissals” if its essential-service employees downed tools.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
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