PIKITUP ‘ REFUSING TO ALLOW WORKERS TO RETURN TO POSTS ’

RELATIONS between the South African Municipal Workers Union and Pikitup in Johannesburg are continuing to sour.

Pikitup said yesterday it had served 1 791 workers participating in an illegal strike with suspension letters.

The City of Johannesburg’s refuse removal agency said the workers would not be allowed to return to work until the disciplinary processes were completed.

However, Samwu dis- missed the claim, saying they were not even on strike, but waiting for the employer to provide them with safer trucks to attend to their posts.

Pikitup spokeswoman Desiree Ntshingila said: “Officials served the striking workers with letters, but they refused to sign them.

“They will not be allowed to come back to work until the disciplinary processes are completed.”

She said the service had improved in some areas.

These include Marlboro, Selby, Southdale and Norwood.

In the western part of Johannesburg, such as Roodepoort, she said the company had put contingency plans in place.

However, Avalon in Soweto remained affected.

Samwu ’ s Johannesburg deputy chairwoman Phumlile Shange said the union knew nothing about the letters.

“Pikitup said it was stopping to take workers to work with the company trucks from July 1, because they were not safe,” Shange said.

“But these are the same trucks the workers use during the day when they attend to their posts.”

The company had obtained a court order at the weekend, restricting workers from going on strike, which started on Monday. –