SAMWU Memorandum of Demands to eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality
21 September 2023
Petition from SAMWU Joe Moloisane Region
Workers of the world unite, we have nothing to lose but our chains. South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) once again calls upon all workers and members to join us, challenge the employer eThekweni Municipality to get rid of all the shenanigans facing its administration. There is a great need to stand together and deal with the growing trends of hijacking of council vehicles at gun point. We reiterate that workplace; eThekwini Municipality has become symbolic of the many worker-rights violations. It is time we demand that as a Union, we place all worker challenges on the agenda for non-compliant on Health and safety issues.
Workers of the Municipality have suffered enough through non-production of personal protective equipment (PPE), non-payment of Group life, killings at workplace, unfair payment of leave encashment, non payment of performance allowance, indefinite acting, attack of shop stewards, lack of resources such as (trucks, equipment), dilapidated buildings, arrogance of some senior management, wage curve (category 10), no clear insourcing of (entities, security and EPWP) to mention a few.
It is our strong belief as SAMWU that eThekwini Municipality does not care about the employees, owing to the recent announcement by the Mayor through the media that workers are lazy. The Mayor and the Municipality is only concerned to save its skin than confront issues which has always been raised by workers.
The Municipality is under section 154 intervention from the national government. The Municipality, this financial year forfeited two grants worth
about R220 million. What does this mean for the City? How safe are our jobs? How about the livelihoods of employees?
SAMWU cannot continue to sit and do nothing while the Mayor uses workers as scape goats.
We therefore request that you sign this petition as we call on the employer to:
(1) Decisively and urgently act on providing security to the workplace in order to protect all employees against, hijackings and senseless killings.
(2) Demand for a fair application of leave encashment, as per the policy.
(3) Call for the immediate payment of performance bonus incentives to all.
(4) Call for the immediate payment of Group Life.
(5) Demand the provisions of PPE to all employees.
(6) Call for filling of all vacant positions
(7) Call for implementation of Wage curve (category 10).
(8) Call for the provision of tools of trade and working equipment such as trucks, vehicles.
(9) Call for the insourcing of all entities such as Ushaka Marine and Durban ICC, EPWP and clarity on Security and Cleaners insourcing.
(10) Call for the stop of outsourcing of our jobs.
(11) Call for the implementation of a Grading system at Ushaka Marine.
(12) Call for eThekwini Municipality to consider all Ushaka Marine salaries to its budget.
(13) Call refurbishment of all Councill buildings who are in state of disrepair.
(14) Call for clarity on the issues surrounding the appointment of Senior Management within the City.
(15) Call for the realignment of Scholar Patrol working hours
(16) Call for reimbursement of leave deducted unreasonably from employees during floods.
(17) Call for the immediate stop to the harassment and intimidation of worker leaders by the employer. SAMWU demands immediate reinstatement of suspended shop stewards. The employer did not follow the procedure.
(18) Call implementation of danger allowance.
(19) Call for the eThekwini Mayor to apologize for calling Municipal workers lazy.
These demands should be addressed with 14 days from date of submission of the petition. Failure to do so will result in further program of action.
The time to act is NOW! The time to act is NOW! The time to act is NOW! VIVA SAMWU VIVA!!! AMANDLA AWETHU!!!