NEHAWU WINS UNFAIR DISMISSAL CASE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS
Khaya Xaba (Khaya@nehawu.org.za)
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NEHAWU National Education Health & Allied Workers’ Union
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARIAT
E-Mail: Secre...@nehawu.org.za |
NEHAWU House 33 Hoofd Street 3rd Floor, Forum iv Braampark P.O. Box 10812 Johannesburg, 2000
Tel: (011) 833-2902 Fax:(011) 833-0757
Website: www.nehawu.org.za |
MEDIA ALERT - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEHAWU WINS UNFAIR DISMISSAL CASE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS
Tuesday April 20, 2021
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) has won a case of unfair dismissal of its members at the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI).
Our members were employed by the department for many years on a contract basis which were renewed yearly by the department. In October 2019 they were served with another contract extension which was to remain effective from October to December 2019. In January 2020, these workers had a reasonable expectation that they would receive letters confirming further extensions of the contract as per practice. However, they were told that there would not be any contract renewals and this was notwithstanding the fact that they had not been served with notices for termination.
The national union then declared an unfair dismissal dispute which was filed with the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) and a conciliation hearing was set down for March 2020. The matter remained unresolved and was filed for arbitration. The arbitration was set down for July 2020 and continued until 5th March 2021 which was a total 8 months period. An award dated 30th March 2021 was issued on the 16th April 2021 directing the department to reinstate all the unfairly dismissed workers.
It is common cause that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) throughout the legal processes inclusive of the pending review applications in the matters that relate to the dismissal of contract workers that it has been pursuing personal and political interests at the expense of service delivery and as such wasting exorbitant amounts of taxpayers monies on unnecessary litigation processes. In this regard, NEHAWU warns the department that it is invoking the public service prescripts and will be seeking that those that have abused the public purse must be directed to pay from their coffers for all those legal costs with interest.
NEHAWU will now focus on forcing the implementation of the award and ensure that all these workers are reinstated without any fail. We will intensify our fight against employers who flout rules and treat workers with sheer disregard. This win for workers proves that they have a giant and fighting union on their side which is preoccupied with defending their rights against intransigent employers.
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 or email: kh...@nehawu.org.za Visit NEHAWU website: www.nehawu.org.za
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