The National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) handed a memorandum of demand to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature Speaker Ntombi Mekgwe yesterday, during a protest over looming retrenchments. The union is accusing the legislature of failing to consult them on issues affecting workers such as restructuring and non-implementation of collective agreements.

LOOMING RETRENCHMENTS

Nehawu Gauteng Provincial Secretary Mzikayise Tshontshi said they decided to protest as the legislature was planning on retrenching workers without consulting the union. "What we are saying is that there is no employee who should be losing their job here. The legislature is not coming to the table and talking to us," he said. He said instead of holding talks with them, legislature responded by sending workers letters intending to retrench."

LEGISLATURE NOT TRANSPARENT 

Tshontshi said the employer has not been transparent in the retrenchment process and they don’t know which positions are being targeted. "They are not saying which positions they are targeting but now they have started giving letters to workers," Tshontshi said. He said the legislature has already started evaluating workers’ profiles. "They are asking them information such as, ’Who are you, what position are you holding, what is the qualification you have’," he said. Tshontshi also called for the implementation of Occupational Health and Safety. "Our workers have been working on dilapidated buildings with water shortages and to date, legislature has failed to provide long-lasting solutions." He said the union has given the authorities seven days to respond to their demands.