SAMWU Ekurhuleni REC Statement

SAMWU Ekurhuleni Region convened a watershed REC Meeting in City of Ekurhuleni: Municipal Council Chambers (Benoni) from the 18^th to the 20^th March 2023 under the theme "SAMWU Going back to basics to advance the interest of Municipal Workers". The REC collective received comprehensive reports from the Regional Office Bearer's. Robust engagements and a festival of ideas characterised the REC which resulted in the following resolutions:

Filling of Vacant ROB Positions

The REC after receiving a full report about the composition of the ROB's from the RSSC of 2019 and the current vacant positions. The REC resolved to appoint additional ROB's to ensure adherence to the Gauteng PEC Roadmap resolution and to ensure a devoted service to the Members at the shopfloor/Locals as follows:

a. Regional Chairperson : Cde Sam Molope

b. Deputy Regional Chairperson : Cde Chris Mavunda

c. Regional Secretary : Cde Tshephang Langa (newly appointed)

d. Deputy Regional Secretary : Cde Nthabiseng Boneni (newly appointed)

e. Regional Treasurer : Cde Sizakele Ndaba (newly appointed)

Full-Time Shopstewards

The REC appointed the following full-time shopstewards in the current vacancies to strengthen the work and service of the union to the members:

a. Cde Paseka Tsotetsi

b. Cde Thulani Mthembu

c. Cde Thatale Shai

d. Cde Silas Mpinga

Establishment of Regional Sub-committees

The REC resolved on establishing the following sub-committees with permanent/consistent members to ensure the maximum functioning of the Union:

a. Case Management and Collective Bargaining Sub-Committee

b. Local Labour Forum

c. Human Resource, Employment Equity, Education and Training Sub-Committee

d. Workplace and Service Restructuring Sub-Committee

e. Basic Conditions Sub-Committee

f. Media and Communications Sub-Committee

g. Organising and Campaigns Sub-Committee

h. Regional Disciplinary Committee

Union Education, Skills and Capacity Building

The REC received a report on the shopstewards induction conducted for Local Office-Bearers (LOB's) on the 6^th to 8^th February 2024 and resolved that a full induction be conducted for all SAMWU Shopstewards to enable them to perform their inherent constitutional responsibilities to the best of their abilities without fail.

Regional Campaigns and Programmes

The REC further received a report on the membership statistics and overall membership behaviour within the current term of office. The REC after engaging on a thorough SWOT analysis process in an attempt to critically analyse the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the union resolved on a plethora of programmes and campaigns which must be rolled out on a consistent basis to the length and breadth of the Municipality, which included an ongoing Recruitment and listening campaign in all the Locals inline with the critical constitutional principle of the union being worker-controlled by the membership collective on the shopfloor.

The Recruitment and listening campaign programme shall urgently be developed and shared going forward.

Regional Cases

The REC collective received progress reports on regional cases at the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) and from their panel of attorneys. The REC resolved to have a capacitated platoon of shopstewards who are combat ready to serve and represent members on an ongoing basis.

Local Labour Forum Reports

Local Labour Forum reports on items like Personal Protective Equipment and Organogram/Structural Review were presented to the REC. The REC noted this items as work in progress which members shall continuously be briefed about noting their importance to the Membership collective in the various Locals.

Presentations to the REC

The Office of the City Manager: Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality through the Head of Department: Human Resource made a presentation on the City's strategic priorities. The presentation in summary highlighted the city's commitment to the general welfare of the Municipal workers in general and SAMWU members in particular as a majority union in the city. The various initiatives and work in progress the City is working together with SAMWU like placement processes and the limitation of abuse of legal representatives in internal disciplinary matters, especially in Misconduct and incapacity cases.

The presentation of the City was received by the REC inline with the White Paper on Local Government, 1998 which characterised Local Government as a Government committed to working with its citizens (workers before they become workers are citizens in the form of community members) and groups (includes Unions, NGO's & Cbo's) within the community to find sustainable ways to meet their social, economic and material needs and improve the quality of life.

The REC as a responsive, responsible and accountable Executive resolved as a matter of urgency to meet with City of Ekurhuleni Management to prioritise the quick transfer/placement of former bus company employees in Brakpan Local and to engage the affected members in the Local.

The Office of the Director-General of Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs through the Acting Deputy Director-General made a presentation on the rationale behind the Municipal Staff Regulations and the REC resolved to have a thorough induction on the Municipal Staff Regulations to be able to engage properly at the correct forums where the matter is consulted and bargained at.

On the Alliance

The REC re-affirmed SAMWU's commitment to work with members of the alliance as a whole and to ensure every meeting of the Union is a political school to continuously sharpen and improve the political ideology and consciousness of our Shopstewards.

END//

ISSUED BY SAMWU EKURHULENI REGION

For Media enquiries please contact:

Cde Tshephang Langa,

Regional Secretary,

060 410 8359

Or

Cde Nthabiseng Boneni,

Deputy Regional Secretary,

069 169 3145

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