SADTU members will, on Tuesday - 12 February 2013, hold a picket at the head offices of the Department of Basic Education in Pretoria in defense of collective bargaining in the education sector and to promote labour peace. We are also calling on society to unite in support of quality public education to shape the nation. The picket will also serve to make a call for the dismissal of the Director General Bobby Soobrayan for his lack of leadership.

The Union is frustrated with what it sees as the Department's undermining of collective bargaining and we put the blame squarely on the Director General's feet. Soobrayan has failed to implement Collective Agreement No.1 of 2011 which increases the remuneration for markers as signed by all parties in the ELRC including the Department of Basic Education. The Presidential Task Team tasked with investigating the non-delivery of textbooks in Limpopo called for Soobrayan to be investigated for his alleged failure to provide support for the Section 100 (1) B particularly his interaction with the administrators. Soobrayan allegedly irregularly spent R46 908 of the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) on accommodation, car hire and a business class flight during Easters.

Other issues to be highlighted by the picket include the following:

Corruption in the education sector;

Payment for the markers;

Improvement of school infrastructure;

Equalization of pay progression for educators;

Payment of rural allowances to all qualifying educators;

Permanent appointment of temporary educators in vacant substantive posts;

Equalization of pay progression of educators.

The picket will take place outside the offices of the Department at 222 Struben Street, Pretoria at 2pm on Tuesday.

ISSUED BY: SADTU Secretariat

Contact:

General Security, Mugwena Maluleke 082 783 2968

Deputy General Secretary, Nkosana Dolopi 082 709 5651

Media Officer, Nomusa Cembi 082 719 5157