Africa-Press – Eswatini. Public Sector Unions (PSUs) want charges of misconduct against SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini dropped immediately, saying these were an attack to trade unionism.
The charges stem from utterances made by Dlamini on the eve of a two-day stay away action by public sector workers which had been scheduled for August 8, 2022.
He is alleged to have advised workers against going to work because there were looming threats against the lives of those who were to go to work on the two days selected for the intended industrial action. Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training Bhekithemba Gama was given an ultimatum of six days to act on the demands by the unionists who also want the decision to refer the matter involving the teachers’ union leader rescinded.
The unionists believe that the charges are an attempt to penalise him for his union activities and to further intimidate other workers.
“The charges are vindictive. Mbongwa’s only sin was to caution workers from exposing themselves to danger after threats were made against those who were to go to work on August 8. He was only speaking in his capacity as a union leader and not as an employee of the ministry. So, the charges are just a way of victimisation and to intimidate workers. As workers we will not allow this kind of union bashing,” declared SWADNU Secretary General Mayibongwe Masangane. The executive leaders of the public sector unions yesterday threw their weight behind the embattled unionist, and vowed to pursue his matter until the end.
“We stand in solidarity with the SNAT president because he was trying to protect the rights of workers. He demonstrated his concern about the safety of the workers because there had been threats against those who were to go to work on the two days in question,” remarked SNAGAP Secretary General Phumzile Masilela.
This was before the actual delivery of the petition at the ministry of education and training. Reading the petition to the PS was SNAT Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini.
Petition
After the petition was delivered PS Gama promised a response within the stipulated period. “I have received your demands and I promise to act before the date that you have specified. I hope there will be a solution to your problems and my office will respond to the best of our ability,” the PS assured the unionists.
Under Secretary forced out of office
Under Secretary at the Ministry of Public Service Richard Phungwayo was forced out of his office to listen to workers’ demands yesterday.
This was after a large number of civil servants who were irked by the conspicuous absence of senior officials endowed with the responsibility of taking decisions at the ministry when they had hoped they would come and listen to their grievances.
The workers decided to deal with the issue in their own way.
It all started when two subordinate officials from the ministry showed up to listen to the workers’ grievances in the absence of the Principal Secretary Sipho Tsabedze.
Noting that there was no senior official to listen to them, the angry workers simply ignored the two subordinates. Instead, they climbed up the staircase leading to the ministry’s offices chanting anti-government slogans and struggle songs.
They insisted that they would not give any audience to subordinate officials and that a most senior official in the position of the US had to come down and listen to them in the PS’s place. The angry workers went to the extent of saying the absence of a very senior official was a clear indication that they were being undermined by their employer.
“The problem begins here with neglecting such an important gathering. We have not come here to play but to raise issues of serious concern to us with the employer,” remarked President of the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) Oscar Nkambule. He enjoyed the support of the other civil servants who numbered close to 100. Efforts by a handful of uniformed police officers to block the irate workers were in vain.
The workers were adamant about yanking the US out of his office, and advised the officers to back off. A number of civil servants, including in-house cleaners came out in their numbers to watch the spectacle.
Union executive leaders spent close to 15 minutes discussing the importance of having a senior official to listen to them in the place of subordinates. Ultimately, the unionists had the last laugh as the US eventually gave in and came out to listen to the workers. The executive of public sector unions had gone to the ministry to air their grievances over many issues affecting them, including the perceived persecution of some of their leaders, when only subordinate officials showed up to listen.
The unionists took strong exception and caused a stir. Initially when the unionists arrived they were told that the Principal Secretary Tsabedze was in a hurry to attend to another important meeting, and that he had asked some senior officials to listen to the workers’ grievances on his behalf.
Somehow the workers recognised the importance of the PSs other duties in the understanding that he would delegate a very senior official like the Under Secretary to attend to them. However, the workers were rubbed the wrong way when two subordinate officials showed up in his place. This resulted in the dramatic scenes that were played out before the workers could eventually express their feelings over certain issues affecting their welfare. However, at the end of the day the boiling emotions eventually settled down following the reaction of US Phungwayo who humbled himself before the workers. Phungwayo impressed the workers when he addressed them as social partners. He promised to forward the workers’ grievances to relevant authorities.
PSUs want govt cleaners protected
On the other hand, the PSUs have shared their concerns about the growing unemployment rate in the country.
The unions blamed this squarely on government and called on officials to urgently fix this before people are driven to an abyss of poverty. The union leadership was reacting to reports that government had embarked on a drive to outsource cleaning services. NAPSAWU President Oscar Nkambule said if government continues implementing strategies without consulting the unions such could lead to a lot of people becoming jobless. He described the issue of the proposed elimination of in-house cleaners as just a tip of the iceberg.
Jobs
He said other similar drives by government could not be ruled out, hence the need to nip the conduct in the bud. He promised that PSUs would take up the cudgels on behalf of the cleaners. He said they would make sure that the cleaners do not wake up and find themselves without jobs. He assured the unions’ membership that they would not rest until justice is served for the cleaners. The Saturday Observer last week revealed that government was embarking on a drive to outsource cleaners. Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Public Service Sipho Tsabedze said the outsourcing of cleaning services was effective immediately. He said this meant that government would no longer be hiring new cleaners.
Then early in the week he clarified that the exercise was not going to affect jobs.
PSUs to tackle union bashing
Public Sector Unions (PSUs) have launched a campaign to tackle union bashing.
The campaign was launched when the PSUs executive leadership declared that public sector employees would be moving full speed to counter the efforts by their employer to discourage them from participating in union activities.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, NAPSAWU President Oscar Nkambule spoke strongly against alleged tactics by government which are apparently aimed at frustrating the rights of workers to unionise. He said it was the right of workers to organise. The unionist insisted that the union bashing tactics carried out by government were illegal, and deserved the strongest condemnation. “We are not going to rest until this union bashing is eliminated. We are not going to allow this.
Demand
“If government chooses to ignore us we are going to go back and mobilise and escalate our demand to have the union bashing tactics stopped,” he said. Speaker after another condemned government for embarking on an apparent drive to kill trade unionism in the country. SWADNU’s Sthembiso Simelane lamented that instead of listening to the workers’ grievances, government was continuously picking up a fight to distract workers from the issues affecting them. He said some of the activities conducted by government to bust trade unionism include using the divide and rule tactic. “We have noted this. It has to come to a stop,” he said. The campaign against union bashing by the public servants was apparently triggered by the disciplinary action initiated against SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini. The unionists believe the charges preferred against Dlamini are only meant to prevent him from continuing with his union activities, which has the effect of intimidating other workers.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
