Stop unfair strike deductions, trade union demands: Strike deductions chaos: Department is to blame

The Professional Educators' Union (PEU) has urged the Gauteng Department of Education to immediately stop the unfair deductions from teachers' salaries. The deductions relate to a 15-day nationwide strike by educators in August 2010. The policy of "no work, no pay" was applied.

According to Selby Nozulela, the shop steward for the PEU in Gauteng, it was announced at the end of 2010 that the Department would deduct 15 days' pay from the salaries of employees who took part in the strike. The PEU stresses that the Department is deducting salaries unfairly.

"The entire process is chaotic. It has come to light that the Department's records of employees who took part in the strike are incorrect and that money is even being deducted from teachers who were on maternity leave at the time of the strike," Nozulela said.

Apart from the fact that the records of employees who went on strike are incorrect, the Department is deducting money based on the increased salary scales and not the scales that were in place at the time of the strike. "This is not fair. The deductions cannot be based on new scales that were implemented after the strike."

"This practice is totally unfair. The Department is not following a transparent process. The deductions are inconsistent and although the Department has indicated that the deductions will be done over a period of three to four months, they are not done every month. While an amount was deducted in November 2010, nothing was deducted in December. Meanwhile, deductions are apparently still being made sporadically for the 2007 strike. Nearly 30 000 educators in Gauteng alone may be affected by these deductions in some way or another," Nozulela explained. 

PEU has also slammed the Department for the way it is acting towards its employees. "When it comes to looking after the needs of its employees, the Department drags its feet. The Department still owes employees bonuses from 2003. However, when it comes to deducting money from employees, the Department is quick and irresponsible with its actions. This process has a negative effect on educators' morale as well as their perception of the Department," according to Nozulela.  

Employees received a salary increase of 7,5% in 2010.   

Statement issued by Selby Nozulela, Gauteng Provincial Shop Steward: Professional Educators' Union, March 29 2011

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