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Another wage strike by EMPD cops on cards for next week

Details

ekurhuleni thumb medium85 107News24 reports that the Municipal Employees and Civil Servants Union (Mecsu) has served the City of Ekurhuleni with a seven-day notice of its intent to strike if the City does not respond to wage demands by its metro police officers.

On Wednesday, municipal spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed receipt of the notice sent on Tuesday. “We are currently processing their notice (of strike),” Dlamini said. Mecsu issued the notice after the City served pre-dismissal notices on 389 Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department officials over an illegal strike on 19 March, during which they blockaded the R21, N12, N17 and N3 highways using municipal vehicles. Officers took to the streets demanding salary adjustments, overtime as well as night and danger allowances. The City retaliated by slapping them with pre-dismissal notices, charging that the strike had been illegal. According to EWN, the pre-dismissal letters have been withdrawn. Addressing the media on Wednesday, Mecsu general secretary Vukile Mlungwana indicated that “we have obtained a certificate to embark on a protected and lawful strike to force the employer to meet the salary adjustment demands of 60 hours of overtime to monthly salaries of all EMPD officials exploited for many years. We demand night shift and danger allowances for officers.” He went on to state: “We have served the City with a seven-day notice that lapses on 5 June. We have also launched an unfair suspension dispute set out for a conciliation hearing on 12 June at the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. We will be arranging psycho-social support for all the affected officers pending the proposed strike. We seek to restore our members’ lost dignity resulting from their legitimate demand for salary adjustment.”

  • Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ntwaagae Seleka at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)


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