Resigned union members may lose jobs – Sibongile
MBABANE – President of Ngwane National Liberatory Congress (NNLC) Sibongile Mazibuko, says some teachers are likely to be the first batch of civil servants to be retrenched by government.
She was speaking during the petition delivery to the Ministry of Education and Training.
Mazibuko said government had been trying at all times to step on workers’ rights. She said looking back, the workers were now worse off. Mazibuko said their plight would continue if they continued to allow government to come in between them.
She highlighted that this year government invited new organisations to the negotiation table and signed a collective agreement of three per cent. Mazibuko said since it had been the employer’s wish to divide civil servants, some ended up resigning from unions because they wanted the three per cent as a result the four public sector associations which are SNAT, Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), National Public Service Workers Union (NAPSAWU) and the Swaziland National Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP) signed three per cent cost-ofliving adjustment (CoLA) due to the high membership exodus.
Protection
The president said it was sad to note that the over 400 civil servants, who resigned were not ready for what was coming. She said it was government’s plan from the start to strip civil servants off their union protection. “Those who resigned from unions no longer have protection,” she said.
Mazibuko said these would be the first to be retrenched by government since it had been hinting about a high wage bill.
Government will be conducting a job evaluation exercise next year, which is conjoined with the salary review.
Meanwhile, SWADNU Secretary General Mayibongwe Masangane lauded junior police for finally speaking up. He stated however, that they needed to engage a stronger gear and stop allowing themselves to be used by the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police William Tsitsibala Dlamini. Some of the speakers said the senior police officers were fond of using the junior police officers by uttering words that set them up against the people.
During the petition delivery, there was a visible number of senior officers who guarded the Ministry of Education’s entrance as compared to junior officers.