Waste workers down tools over salaries
Dozens of Waste Department workers at the Pietermaritzburg Engineers’ Workshop on Doull Road downed tools on Monday morning.
The workers had apparently reached a breaking point over the lack of uniforms and a salary increase.
They blockaded the department near its entrance gate with burning tyres which led to service delivery interruption.
“We are not going anywhere until we receive uniforms and money,” a disgruntled worker said. Workers claim they are earning “peanuts” while working harder than most people.
“This department cleans dirt. We were supposed to get a uniform in July. We are now still wearing torn trousers. Uniform money keeps being deducted from our salaries every month, but we have not yet received clothing,” said a worker, who added that they last received
FREE, uniforms a year ago. “We work under difficult circumstances here. Even the toilets we use are in a very bad condition,” the workers said.
The workers claim they are not allowed to raise issues. “If you raise your grievances, they promise to fire you. We are being abused here. You work in rainy weather without rain suits. How are we supposed to work without uniforms? We were told there’s no budget. We are sick and tired of this,” they added.
The workers said they worked during the level 5 lockdown and were not paid.
One worker said she was injured at work in 2016 but was not even paid for injury on duty. “I was told that I’m a contract worker. We have no power,” she said.
Another worker said, due to the salary they get, they end up being bombarded with overtime work as they try to make extra money. He also said this money takes a long to reflect in their accounts and what makes things even worse is that when it gets deducted they don’t receive the whole amount.
Msunduzi Municipality spokesperson Thobeka Mafumbatha said waste management met with the employees and the unions to come up with an amicable solution. “The municipality has approved a new structure and is currently working on a process of job evaluation which will address the issue of levels. The process of attaining new uniforms
from staff has already started but due to unforeseen circumstances, there have been delays that have been experienced at stores and the municipality is working around the clock to address those technicalities,” she said.