Members of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) in the Central Region of Gauteng are ready to go on strike over the 0,5% disparity on pay progression and all outstanding issues that have been ignored by the DBE.

This came out of a regional mass meeting addressed by SADTU General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke at Orlando Communal Hall in Soweto on Wednesday afternoon. The meeting was also attended and addressed by COSATU President S’dumo Dlamini and Deputy General Secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali.
Both Maluleke and Dlamini appealed for unity in SADTU and COSATU. They appealed to members to defend these organizations from inside and outside forces at all material times. They warned against lies and half truths that were being spread about COSATU. “There is an open agenda to dislodge COSATU,” Dlamini said.

“We are calling for the unity of SADTU. When SADTU is united, COSATU will be united,” Maluleke said.
He said people were being fed with the lies that the ANC had not made changes to their lives since it took over.

“SADTU says don’t allow lies and demagoguery rhetoric to influence you,” Maluleke said.
On the issue of 0,5% parity, Mugwena said even though the  amount was small,  the main issue was about narrowing the gap in salary notches. The matter has been dragging for five years and the Department has not shown a sense of urgency in resolving it. Teachers were the only ones receiving a 1% pay progression while other public servants receive 1,5%.  The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) has called the parties to a facilitation process to try and resolve the 0,5% parity. Over and above the 0,5% parity there were outstanding issues such as the basic salary structure for teachers to be at R15 000; the  conditions for Early Childhood Development  and ABET practitioners.

Maluleke urged members to start preparing themselves for the 2015 salary negotiations which begin in July and encouraged them to continue discussing whether they wanted a single term or multi-term agreement in salary negotiations.

He announced that ballots for the strike over 0,5% parity would soon be sent out for the members to fill.

However, before closing the meeting, the Deputy Regional Secretary Moses Maluleke indicated that the region was ready for a strike.

Sdumo Dlamini reminded members of the resolution by the Federation that come elections time, COSATU should campaign for the ANC.

On the issue of a call for a special congress by some of the affiliates of COSATU, Dlamini appealed to the meeting to first read the report of the Federation’s NOB’s before making their decision.

He asked the members to work out the purpose of holding such a congress and what they wanted out of it. “Must we go there and say members must see us; we are divided?” he asked.

The National Executive Committee of SADTU will on Thursday and Friday (6 & 7 March) visit the Free State’s Maluti region as part of celebrating International Women’s Day. The NEC will address branch mass meetings similar to the Orlando meeting. Members of the Alliance are expected to provide messages of support in these meetings.

ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat