Pay policy change must be negotiated

THE ANC in the Nelson Mandela Bay region wants to dispel the notion peddled by mayor Athol Trollip on the reasons the NMB Municipality has scrapped the overtime policy.

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act is unequivocally clear: all employees who work after normal hours from Monday to Saturday shall be remunerated at 1.5 times the normal rate and at twice the normal rate on Sundays and public holidays.

The act further states that should there be an intention to tweak this basic tenet, such intention may only be enacted under specific conditions and must be subject to formal negotiations between employer and employee.

On May 23, Trollip and his DA colleagues pushed through a council resolution to withdraw employees’ overtime payments.

When it was pointed out to Trollip that he could not unilaterally make such an affront to the act, he promised to negotiate with the employees.

However, this was never done.

On October 8 Trollip stated on social media that the overtime policy was revised due to adverse findings by the auditor-general. There is no reference to overtime in the AG’s report (part of the 2015-16 annual report).

Why hasn’t Trollip told residents that overtime for water works, and electricity and energy employees falls into two categories, namely preplanned overtime and standby duties as per a monthly roster?

Trollip is also disingenuous with his vacuous statements that question the loyalty and commitment of council’s employees. NMBM employees have by and large displayed remarkable commitment to our city and residents in extremely trying times.

Trollip also knows that employees are prohibited from making comments on social media and, therefore, his statements on social media platforms cannot be challenged.

Themba Xathula, ANC regional secretary, Nelson Mandela Bay