PSAS, GOVT SIGN DEADLOCK

MBABANE – Government and the Public Sector Associations (PSA) have signed a deadlock after failed negotiations.

Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) President Mbongwa Dlamini, articulating the reasons which led to this stage, said the two parties had agreed to disagree. He said after having signed the deadlock, the PSAs would take government to the Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration Commission (CMAC). He said they initially wanted to register a case with CMAC last week, but then they needed to provide proof that the negotiations had failed, of which the deadlock would be proof of the failed negotiations.

Negotiations

He said in the negotiations, they tabled several demands which included the finalisation of the negotiations framework, allowances, salary review appeals of 2016, CoLA and then service delivery. CoLA is the cost-of-living adjustment. Dlamini said this was the order which the PSAs were demanding the negotiations to follow, however, government wanted the order to start with CoLA then the framework, followed by service delivery and lastly the salary review appeals. He said when they engaged with the workers in the different regions, they appreciated the format which came with the PSAs.

Dispute

The president said today they would register a dispute with CMAC. He said going to CMAC would mean that the latter would have to call upon the PSAs and the government within 21 days for conciliation. Dlamini said during the conciliation, the two parties would have to find common ground. The president said if during the conciliation, the two parties failed to reach common ground, then CMAC would have to issue a certificate of unresolved dispute.

He said the issuance of the said certificate would now mean things would change. He said the ball would now be in the workers’ court to decide on their way forward. He noted that some people were saying the PSAs leadership was failing to negotiate, but then it was a known fact that one may negotiate but the government would do as it pleased. He said it was worth noting that this was not a dispute of rights but a dispute of interests. He said this meant that they could not take government to court but they could only opt for a strike.

Ballot

Dlamini said after the 21 days, workers would have to go to the ballot box to vote for either going on strike or not. He said as a leadership they would ensure the ballot boxes were closer to the workers. Dlamini encouraged the workers to vote for a strike. He said if workers voted against an industrial action, it would mean that they would be accepting government’s agenda, which came with its implications that would not favour the workers.

Dlamini added that if the workers voted for a strike action, it would be a legal strike as the process was in Section 6 of the Industrial Relations Act of 2000 as amended. He said in this strike action, the employer, being the government, would have no grounds to dimiss the workers. He said, however, the employer would have a right not to pay the employees as the latter would not be at work.

Encouraged

He encouraged all workers to vote in favour of the strike. He said if the majority voted for the strike, it would mean the strike action would go ahead. Dlamini said if the majority voted for the strike and some decided to go to work, the unions would have a way to discipline them for defying the majority rule. The president then encouraged the workers to brace themselves for a possible strike next month or after the 21 days. He said when workers received this month’s pay; they should prepare themselves by buying all necessary food commodities. Efforts to get a comment from the Ministry of Public Service proved futile as the Principal Secretary (PS), Sipho Tsabedze, could not be reached on his cellphone as it rang unanswered. Minister Mabulala Maseko referred all questions to the PS as he was the one heading the negotiations on behalf of government.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: