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NAPTOSAGauteng

VISIT OUR WEBSITE (Go to “Provincial” then “Gauteng”)
Tel: 011 486-1256 Fax 011 486-2899 e-mail
7September 2010 NF 67/10 /

______NAPTOSA – THE UNION FOR EDUCATORS AND PERSONNEL IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

TOTHE NAPTOSA GAUTENG UNION REPRESENTATIVE

Please make this communication available to ALL NAPTOSAmembersat yourschool/campus/office.

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NAPTOSA – THE UNION FOR EDUCATORS AND PERSONNEL IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

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NAPTOSA – THE UNION FOR EDUCATORS AND PERSONNEL IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

The Strike is suspended!

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NAPTOSA – THE UNION FOR EDUCATORS AND PERSONNEL IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

All ILC and COSATU unions declare the strike over

In an important joint Media event on Monday 6 September 2010 held by both the ILC and COSATU unions the strike was suspended. This followed intensive discussions within the ILC as well as with the COSATU unions on Friday afternoon and Monday morning and must be seen as a win-win outcome for unions and the state. A number of negotiators and union leaders have been working towards this development for some time. Although NAPTOSA members have been on strike for 4 days a large number have been unable to teach and carry out their duties on many more days due to intimidation and violence. We hope that Tuesday will see a high degree of normality in our schools. All members are urged to report for duty as usual on Tuesday. We have an enormous task before us to minimise any disruptions dueto the strike and to prepare learners for their end of year assessments.

The Strike is over, but what of the draft Collective Agreement?

The breakthrough occurred when the PSCBC team started work on a comprehensive draft agreement which dealt with all the issues that have been subjects of concern. Behind the scenes our NAPTOSA Chief Negotiator, Wally Smith, who was involved with the writing of the draft agreement, as well as our President, Mr Ezrah Ramasehla, the Executive Director, Mr Henry Hendricks and Mr Dave Balt have worked hard to achieve a reasonable settlement. We have reported briefly on this draft in the two previous News Flashes. We should view the draft as a package (see below) which includes the salary increase as well as the increased housing allowance. The PSCBC will meet on Monday morning at 10:00. We expect the final touches to be put to the draft agreement before it is put to unions in the PSCBC (perhaps on Monday morning at a meeting scheduled for 10:00). Should NAPTOSA sign? Is this a reasonable package deal?

In News Flashes and 65 we listed some of thematters covered in the draft agreement. It is important to emphasise that the draft contains much more than just an increase of 7,5% and a housing allowance of R800 backdated to 1 July 2010. The media has tended to focus on two items only, the salary increase and the housing allowance. The main areas of the draft are listed below:

A salary increase of 7.5% with effect from 1 July 2010.

Housing allowance increased from R500 to R800 pm with effect from 1 July 2010

An investigation into a new Home Ownership scheme to be implemented on 1 April 2011. This is a significant new development, which will assist employees in purchasing a home.

An investigation into the equalization of the medical aid subsidies to be completed by 31 December 2010 and an increase in the post retirement medical subsidy for members of GEMS with effect from 1 April 2011.

Future negotiations to be aligned with the State’s budgetary processes.

An implementation date for the annual salary increase to be moved to 1 May in 2011 and 1 April in 2012.

Outstanding issues from Resolution 1 of 2007 and 5 of 2009 to be negotiated in the next round of negotiations which are due to begin in October 2010.

Agreement on the “Return to work” and “No Work No Pay” policy.

Once the draft agreement has been tabled NAPTOSA will provide a more comprehensive commentary on the offer.

And now to make up for lost time …

Although NAPTOSA members were only on strike for 4 days many members, through circumstances not of their making, lost many more days. This means that the learners who are central to the principles this Union holds dear have lost valuable time and teaching. The leadership of NAPTOSA calls upon all its members to once again make a monumental effort to focus on the learning and teaching that is needed to recover from the disruption of the past three weeks. Although all the grades are important, our priority must be the grade 12 learners who have 48 days (including weekends and school holidays) before the commencement of their examinations.

NAPTOSA has already met with the Director General and senior officials of the Department of Basic Education and shared with them some of our plans for the recovery programme and indicated our willingness to cooperate with the Department in the implementation of their recovery programme.

The past three weeks have been a difficult time for teachers, learners and parents and indeed the country. It is NAPTOSA’s wish that all schools return to normal from today and that we as professionals commit ourselves to recovery plans that will ensure the detrimental effects of the industrial action are minimised.

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NAPTOSA – THE UNION FOR EDUCATORS AND PERSONNEL IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

M J MYBURGH

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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NAPTOSA – THE UNION FOR EDUCATORS AND PERSONNEL IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR