The New Age reports that unions say an “agreement in principle” with the SA Post Office (Sapo) on wage negotiations could be reached today. Aubrey Tshabalala of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) indicated:  “If they are open to correct a few things we disagree with we may do that (reach an agreement).  We are very close, we made great progress from where we were.”  Sapo apparently offered unions a 100% payment on backdated salaries, a 6% salary increase for 2016/17, voluntary severance and early retirement packages due to be implemented from 1 August and the conversion of all casual employees to permanent part-timers on a minimum of 21 hours up to 42 hours a week.

Tshabalala said the sticking points were the conversion of some 900 employees whose contracts had been “frozen” and the 6% salary increase.  The Democratic Postal and Communication Union’s (Depacu’s) Levy Zwane said the majority of his members were happy with Sapo’s offer.  However, the Influential Information and Communication Union of SA (IICUOSA), a non-recognised union representing some 2,000 Sapo employees, expressed its unhappiness over Sapo’s engagements with unions.  The union recently staged a “forcible entry” into Sapo’s headquarters, allegedly damaging property and assaulting workers.

by Bonolo Selebano

TMG Digital reports that about 550 workers from LSG Sky Chefs, which provides catering services to international airlines, are striking against alleged “bullying and shouting” at staff.

Workers belonging to Satawu and NTM are demanding that the company institute disciplinary action against a senior manager for her alleged “ill-treatment of workers”.  The protected strike started on Monday and an interdict application by the company failed.  The unions’ basket of grievances include allegations of favouritism towards certain employees‚ bullying and shouting by management‚ and unfair discrimination as workers are not allowed to wear religious‚ cultural jewellery or hand bands.  Some workers claim to be paid R3,000 a month after several years’ service‚ less than new interns.

Ref: TimesLive

The Congress of South African Trade Unions in Limpopo will be embarking on an Ant-Racism march in Tzaneen. Many of our people in the country and in our province in particular continue to be victims of racist attacks and discrimination at their workplaces and in communities. We still have workplaces where bathrooms are allocated along racial lines. There are racist attacks/assaults cases that were opened in areas like Tzaneen with the SAPS ; yet they have never been to court for almost a year now.

As COSATU ,we reiterate our call for the Provincial Detectives to take over all cases of racial assault in the province. We will be engaging the Human Rights Commission to investigate all cases of racial discrimination as well. Meanwhile, the two suspects who assaulted Mr Johannes Monyela in Tzaneen Sasol petrol station will be appearing at the Tzaneen Magistrate Court on the 27th June 2016. We are therefore inviting our alliance, MDM structures and ordinary black and white people to join our Anti-Racism march planned as follows:
Date                      : 27th June 2016
Assembly point     : Tzaneen Library, next to Greater Tzaneen
Municipal offices
Destination            : Tzaneen Magistrate Court
Time of Departure : 08h00

For more information contact Gerald Mkhomazi Twala,
COSATU Provincial Secretary at 071 587 2872

Business Report writes that the Influential Information and Communication Union of SA (IICUOSA) said on Thursday that it will strike on Monday at the SA Post Office (Sapo).

It will also march on the Labour Department in Pretoria to highlight what it believes are unfair labour practices at Sapo.  The union said that the parastatal had failed to agree to worker’s demands dating back to 2014 and, despite continued pressure, had still not converted casual staff to permanent employees.  IICUOSA represents about 2,000 of Sapo’s 22,000 employees, but is not a recognised union.  Sapo CEO Mark Barnes on Thursday downplayed the mass action, saying he did not expect a negative impact on operations.  The Communication Workers Union (CWU) commented:  “Negotiations between CWU and (the Post Office) are ongoing and we are making good strides.  Workers affiliated to IICUOSA are being misled by false information of outsourcing.”

by Heidi Giokos

Cape Times reports that on 1 July 2016, close to 1,000 workers will become full-time employees of the University of Cape Town (UCT).

In what has been hailed as “a massive victory” for workers, and their allies the students at the university, UCT vice-chancellor Max Price announced that a historic agreement between management and the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) Joint Stewards Council would come into effect next month.  Last year, Nehawu forged an alliance between workers and students that eventually forced the university’s hand into changing its outsourcing policy.  Workers like cleaners and gardeners who had previously been earning just over R3,000 a month will now be taking home more than R7,500 a month, plus benefits.  Price said though that the insourcing project had added to the university’s challenge of financial sustainability.

by Carlo Petersen

BDLive reports that Information and Communication Union of SA said on Wednesday it would embark on a programme of action from next week, in protest against outsourcing at the South African Post Office (Sapo). The union said it understood that retrenchments were in the offing, although on Monday, Sapo denied this, saying only voluntary severance and early retirement would be considered. Sapo has previously signed a variety of agreements to end outsourcing.

The union said Sapo was still failing to implement agreements concluded in 2014 to convert staff from casual into permanent employment. The union is due to march on the Department of Labour in Pretoria on Monday to demand, among other things, an immediate end to outsourcing, and that the government immediately nationalise the post office and provide it with funds.  However, communications Workers Union (CWU) general-secretary Aubrey Tshabalala dismissed IICUOSA’s claims, saying there was no outsourcing at the post office and that the CWU was close to reaching agreement on a number of substantive issues. “The public must be at ease,  there is no unrest by post office workers who  must also not be misled about the outsourcing,” Tshabalala said.

by Karl Gernetzky

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has noted the latest wage offer by Eskom of 7% across the board. The NUM is not in a position accept or reject  Eskom’s latest offer. The NUM is going to seek mandate from its members. The NUM has not exhausted its mandate, however, we take  note of the company’s offer. We are disappointed and dejected that our demands except the salary increase have been rejected by Eskom without consideration.

Some of the issues that were not considered are the following:

• Housing allowance
• Maternity leave
• Duration of the wage agreement.
• Overlap of the salary scale
• The closing of the 50% gap of minimum and maximum

The stakeholders agreed that they will be meeting for the fourth round of wage negotiations on the 13th, 14th and 15th of July 2016 at CedarWoods Conference Centre in Woodmead.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions in Limpopo is urgently calling on the Provincial Detectives of the SAPS to take over all cases of racist attack in the province, including the one in Tzaneen where Mr Johannes Monyela was assaulted by two white males on the night of the 18th June 2016. Our call is informed by the fact that in Tzaneen there are three other similar cases that were reported to the police by the colleagues of Mr Johannes Monyela who have been victims of racist assaults at the same Sasol petrol station and since then there were was no progress.

As the federation, we are therefore concerned that the SAPS in Tzaneen is not taking these cases serious hence our call for the provincial detectives to take over. At the same time we are calling on all those who had similar cases disappearing and not finding their way to court to urgently inform COSATU for assistance. A case of assault GBH was opened against the two white males who assaulted Mr Monyela and it was postponed to the 27th June 2016 at the Tzaneen Magistrate Court. Meanwhile as COSATU together with our alliance partners and other MDM structures, we are organizing a picketing at the Tzaneen Magistrate Court on the 27th June 2016 to demand justice for all victims of racist attack.

For more information contact Gerald Mkhomazi Twala,
COSATU Provincial Secretary on 071 587 2872

Congress of South African Trade Unions in Gauteng has scheduled a Press Briefing this week, on Friday, 24th June 2016 at Braamfontein. COSATU Gauteng will address the public on developments in Tshwane, which culminated in community protests.

The Briefing will be arranged as follows;
Date: 24th June 2016
Venue: COSATU House, Braamfontein
Time: 11h00
The Press Briefing will be addressed by Provincial
Office Bearers.

SADTU, through its Curtis Nkondo Professional Development Institute (SCNPDI) will hold a three-day training workshop for close to 130 intermediate phase lead teachers. This is in line with the Union’s 2030 Vision which is pillared on servicing union members and creating a learning nation. The training will cover teaching methods, content selection and planning, and assessment. The teachers will also engage in subject specific training in English, Maths, Natural Sciences, Technology, Life Skills and Social Sciences.