Pikitup workers. Picture: FREDDY MAVUNDA
CONCERNS: The South African Municipal Workers Union says Pikitup’s claim that workers went on a strike last week is meant to delay an agreement reached between the two parties in December. Picture: FREDDY MAVUNDA

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THE South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) denied on Sunday that waste-collection workers had gone on an illegal protest last week.

It accused waste-management entity Pikitup of using claims of a strike as a delaying tactic that would undermine an agreement between the two.

The union’s Johannesburg deputy regional secretary Paul Tlhabang said Samwu had set an end-of-February deadline for Pikitup to provide clarity on a number of issues. Samwu wanted Pikitup to look into alleged salary disparities and to end the use of casual labour. Following the strike in December, it also demanded the removal of some managers.

He said the two sides had reached a "politically decided agreement" when the firm suddenly pressed charges against six union shop stewards last week.

Pikitup and its workers deadlocked last year, when Samwu demanded a salary increase from R6‚000 to R10‚000. The "political agreement" brokered in December may now fall apart.

"I’m worried that we’re not going to meet the (end of February) deadline, because of these lousy charges," Mr Tlhabang said.

The union is set to meet today to discuss the charges against the shop stewards and decide on a way forward. "There’s no need (for us) to go on strike any time soon."

Pikitup spokeswoman Pansy Jali said Samwu needed to explain why rubbish was not collected on Thursday and Friday if Pikitup employees were not on strike.

"We understand that the reason … there was an illegal work stoppage on Thursday and Friday, is that the Samwu members are in solidarity with the six shop stewards that have been charged with misconduct," she said.

Ms Jali said a disciplinary hearing for the shop stewards took place on Thursday and Friday and was not related to December’s strike. They have been charged with destruction of property, noise and leaving their depots.

Mr Tlhabang said it would also meet to discuss reinstituting corruption charges against Pikitup MD Amanda Nair. Last year, she was cleared of charges of impropriety relating to a R263m tender, but was later arrested for the alleged theft of company cellphones. Mr Tlhabang said the new charges were dropped, but the union wanted them back on the table, because Ms Nair had not been held accountable.