NEHAWU Welcomes CCMA Ruling on ANC Western Cape Legislature Caucus Staff Dispute
Tuesday February 2, 2021
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) welcomes the ruling of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in the matter between nine of its members and the African National Congress (ANC) Western Cape Provincial Legislature caucus.
On the 31st December 2019 the caucus unfairly dismissed our members who worked as Parliamentary Constituency Office (PCO) Administrators. The caucus did not renew the contracts of our members while the contracts of other workers were renewed. The national union subsequently declared a dispute and referred it to the CCMA on the 20th February 2020. The sitting down of the matter was delayed by the hard lockdown which started on the 26th March 2020.
The matter was eventually sat down on the 28th and 30th October 2020 and was last deliberated upon on the 19th January 2021 when the caucus elected to waste money by bringing an attorney on a simple and straightforward matter which did not need to be protracted unnecessarily.
Today, the CCMA ruled in our favour and directed as follows:
- All nine workers must be reinstated with effect from the 1st January 2020
- The caucus must pay each dismissed worker an amount of R141 920 as a back pay by no later than 15 February 2021
- All nine workers must return to work no later than 15 February 2021
As NEHAWU, we call on the caucus to abide by the ruling and desist from victimising our members. This victory should serve as an inspiration to other workers that such cases are winnable and they should not cower when employers use underhand tactics to dismiss them. The national union will continue to fight and defend workers’ rights including protecting job security.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat
Zola Saphetha (General Secretary) at 082 558 5968;
December Mavuso (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5969
Khaya Xaba (NEHAWU National Spokesperson) at 082 455 2500 - email khaya@nehawu.org.za