Samwu workers are aggrievead over wage disputes, demanding back payments amounting to R10.3 million dating back to 2016.
City of Johannesburg employees affiliated with the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) say they are struggling to make ends meet and often have to bring resource from home to do their jobs.
On Thursday, at least 10 000 City of Johannesburg employees affiliated with the union brought the M1 and M2 highways in Braamfontein and Johannesburg CBD to a complete standstill.
The Samwu workers are aggrieved over wage disputes, demanding back payments amounting to R10.3 million, dating back to 2016.
Wage discrepancy
Sese Jobe told The Citizen she has been working as a nurse for the city of Joburg for 22 years.
She said they don’t get the same wages as their colleagues in other cities.
“We were supposed to get an increase in July, we are still waiting. Some of the metropolitan government employees in Pretoria and in Ekurhuleni earn more than the people in Joburg.”
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Struggles
Jobe said she joined the Samwu march because the cost of living has soared.
The Samwu member also lamented about the failure of service delivery where she works.
“I’m still struggling. They want us to provide services. Right now in my clinic there’s no water, also there’s a problem with electricity,” adding that the lack of power affects medication and vaccinations that needs refrigeration.
“We’ve been trying to improvise. Sometimes I come with a five litre of water to work. I am a human being, I eat, I drink and I need to go to toilet. Which toilet?
“They refuse to close the clinic because we ‘are essential service workers.’ That’s the only thing they know, essential services instead of thinking of workers,” Jobe said.
Starvation
She said she also has a 25-year-old son at home who is unemployed.
“I’ve got one there [at home] starving. There’s no work, he’s got a matric, but he’s at home.”
Jobe said as Samwu members they want better salaries and essential services.
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