Update

KNYSNA NEWS - The Knysna Mynicipality Town Council has resolved to refer the issue of a danger allowance for its frontline workers and those working during all levels of the Covid-19 lockdown, back to the Garden Route District Municipality's central bargaining structures. 

They want the district municipality to develop a policy framework and compile an affordability analysis with regards to the current financial situation of the Knysna Municipality.

This follows picketing on Tuesday last week by municipal workers falling under the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) outside the municipal offices, demanding a bigger danger allowance and "an end to discrimination" against municipal workers.

According to Knysna Municipality Samwu Branch Chairman Shaun Kralo, workers want a once-off R25 000 danger allowance for frontline workers, R15 000 for workers who came to work when requested in the face of Covid-19 and R7 500 for all who worked during all levels of the lockdown.

Responding to queries about the progress of the meeting between workers and the municipality, Knysna municipal spokesperson Christopher Bezuidenhout this week said negotiations concerning salary and allowances were conducted through the central bargaining structures, which had referred the matter back to Knysna Municipality.

"The Bargaining Council informed the district municipalities that this issue should be dealt with on a local level, through the Local Labour Forum," said Bezuidenhout.

He said the matter was subsequently submitted to council, which then resolved the payment of the danger allowance be referred to municipal administration to develop a policy framework and compile an affordability analysis with regards to the current financial situation of the municipality. "Thereafter, a further report will be submitted to council for consideration," Bezuidenhout said.

On Monday this week, Kralo told Knysna-Plett Herald that workers were not happy with the development after they had a meeting with their employer.

"At the Local Labour Forum (LLF) on Friday, the employer came up with something different from what we had agreed on during the picketing.

"They promised to finalise everything by the end of April and start processing payments, but during the LLF they came up with issues of budget and the money they received from national government, which will not be enough," he said.

Kralo said the union is consulting with its members and would take its mandate from the workers.

"If workers want to go to the street to force the employer to pay the allowance, we cannot stop them," he said.

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