The South African Municipal Workers Union in Tshwane wants its members to be paid a Covid-19 allowance for working under the threat of contracting the virus. Talks between the two parties on the proposed allowance have already been initiated, according to union regional secretary Mpho Tladinyane. Both parties were expected to meet this week to thrash out the details of the proposal before an agreement could be reached.
Tladinyane said: “Covid-19 allowances should be treated the same as a danger allowance. All the people at the forefront of rendering essential services must be paid for the risk they take every day. That allowance is not something that should be there forever.
On Monday, the union engaged with a team of administrators appointed by the Gauteng government to run the affairs of the City of Tshwane. The union will be meeting the employer on Friday to get a response on the matter. We have proposed R250 per day capped at R3000 per month,” Tladinyane said.
He said the City was in the process of implementing safety measures to mitigate the risks of contracting coronavirus in workplaces. The union, he said, had met the City’s Covid-19 tactical committee and it was agreed that the group property department should disinfect all municipal buildings before employees could resume work.
“Group property presented a report that more than 90% of buildings have been disinfected and the process will be finalised at the latest by Wednesday (yesterday),” Tladinyane said. The occupational health safety section was tasked with monitoring the City’s compliance with health standards prescribed in Covid-19 regulations.
“The Covid-19 tactical committee meeting has appreciated that recalling of workers depends on offices being disinfected, personal protective equipment being provided, social distance issues, screening readiness and a rotation plan being approved.” The union warned that managers must not force workers to return to work without the approval of the group head for human capital, who was in charge of approving calling employees back to work.
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Source: IOL