Sadtu lodges dispute against WCED over teacher posts

Cape Argus writes that the SA Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) in the Western Cape has declared a dispute at the education bargaining council, as it called the Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) consultation with unions over teacher cuts, “meaningless and insufficient”. SADTU has also threatened strike action should the issue of 2 400 teachers who stand to be let go in the new year, not be addressed appropriately. The WCED last week announced that it would be reducing teaching posts by not reappointing some contract teachers after their terms end on December 31. This is due a budget shortfall of R3.8 billion over the next three years. The WCED said the shortfall would be felt despite implementing a R2.5bn budget cut.

This, after the department received only 64% of the cost of the nationally negotiated wage agreement, leaving the province to fund the remaining 36%. However, SADTU said it believed the department had not done enough to secure the much-needed teaching jobs. Sadtu provincial secretary, Sibongile Kwazi, said from the onset of the announcement, every union rejected the proposed cut. “We believe that there was insufficient consultation, that our proposals were not considered, and that teachers and learners were not considered. “Now we have the department saying they are not retrenching, but what do you call it when people who are employed lose their jobs? “The department also has a mandate to change a teacher’s status to permanent if they are suitably qualified and in a post for more than three years, but they did not do that, so that means they are contributing towards the cut.”

Kwazi said they proposed the termination of the Back on Track programme and reduced annual systemic evaluations, but did not receive a fruitful response from the WCED. “This is why we lodged an urgent dispute, which we hope will be resolved by the end of the schooling term in September. “We are calling on the department to recall the basket they proposed and also reopen consultation.”

The WCED said it noted the dispute lodged by SADTU. “The process will run its course in terms of the ELRC (Education Labour Relations Council) process. “We are in our current position as a result of the decision by the national government to not fully fund the 2023 nationally negotiated public sector wage agreement. “We still hope that Sadtu will join our fight for our teachers in the Western Cape by urging the National Treasury to fully fund the agreement,” the WCED said.

COSATU provincial secretary, Malvern de Bruyn, said that the labour federation supported SADTU’s stance. “We will be calling a joint meeting with all religious institutions, schooling and sport fraternities, unions and the community at large,” De Bruyn said. “We will not sit still when this affects our children, while the poorest of the poorest will be affected by this, we are not going to allow that and we are ready to go to the streets,” he added.

by Tracy-Lynn Ruiters

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