Source: SATAWU
SATAWU members employed by the two parastatals were protesting against the flouting of labour laws by their employers and handed over a memorandum of grievances to the Minister of Transport Joe Maswanganyi. Members at e-Toll are aggrieved because their employer refuses to grant the union organisational rights even though the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration has ruled on the matter in favour of SATAWU. Withholding of organisational rights prevents the union from addressing workers’ grievances, which include salary disparities between workers doing the same job and the deducting of 50% of the 13th cheque for workers who have been issued with a written warning. Allegations of nepotism and tribalism have also been levelled at area managers who are said to have employed their friends into positions. SATAWU therefore calls on the minister to intervene and stem the waste of public funds as the agency insists on taking the case to the Labour Court, which will result in exorbitant legal fees being levied.
Workers at RTIA, on the other hand, are concerned about their employer’s refusal to negotiate with their chosen union on various issues including the agency’s non-compliance with the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) performance management system.
Workers are unhappy because although performance assessments are conducted quarterly as per the DPSA framework, the model is not followed through when it comes to determining accompanying bonuses. Employees have also alleged rampant abuse of power and maladministration by management who routinely show a disregard for the agency’s policies. Moreover, some RTIA executives are alleged to have received a 40% pay rise in recent months while other agency employees have not seen a change in salary. Employees of both agencies delivered a memorandum to Minister Maswanganyi asking him to intervene on their behalf to ensure their employers comply with labour laws.
