Johannesburg – The Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) says once the outcomes of the Public Service Summit are tabled – all parties, including the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) will have an opportunity to comment on them.
This comes after Popcru on Monday withdrew its participation from the ongoing Public Service Summit currently under way in Ekurhuleni.
The summit is expected to conclude on March 31.
Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said the decision to withdraw was based on what the union described as “the employer’s ongoing and relentless attacks on collective bargaining and their efforts to erode gains from previously signed agreements continue unabated.“
“As a union, we are of the view that this platform will not result in anything tangible, but to create a false impression that despite the victimisation workers continue to suffer at the hands of the employer, all is well and relations are good.
“At best, it is aimed at pre-determining an outcome in favour of the employer by using unions to endorse its posture of not giving public servants an increment for the coming three years.
“While the government has reneged from fully implementing clause 3.3 of the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBS) Resolution 1 of 2018, it continues to implement austerity measures which have resulted in the non-filling of vacant funded posts and led to the reduction of the public service, which is already understaffed, overworked and underpaid. This summit offers nothing that will enhance the living conditions of public servants,” Mamabolo said.
He added that any decision taken at the summit does not in any way or form bind them.
According to Mamabolo, following their provincial shop steward councils (PSCs) and provincial congresses respectively, their members gave a clear mandate to vigorously take up their immediate concerns without fail.
“Popcru will be utilising the coming days to prepare for its upcoming collective bargaining and policy conference that will, among others, map out our way forward for an envisaged programme of action. Members are urged to prepare their boots,” he said.
Frikkie De Bruin – PSCBC general secretary media – said they note Popcru’s withdrawal, saying they respect and appreciate their decision to do so.
“It must be noted that this has no bearing on the summit as the programme forges ahead as planned and parties are currently continuously engaging in principles of collective bargaining in the various concurrent commissions,” De Bruin said.
He added: “The outcomes of the summit will be made available to the public and the media when the summit concludes.”
Political Bureau
