Visually impaired employees go on strike!

By Hazel Sambo

Casual workers and visually impaired employees at the Itireleng workshop for the blind in Ga-Rankuwa have gone on strike in protest against unpaid salary increases.The group claimed on Monday that they were promised that their salaries would be increased in April this year.But this had not happened.

Only a few of the casual workers and visually impaired employees received their salary increases last Friday.Casual worker, Emily Matsemela said she had been working at the workshop for more than 20 years and management now wanted to get rid of her without a valid reason.In addition to this, claims Matsemela, management also refused to pay her.

Another casual worker, Mapule Morekhu, said: "We've been working for such a long period at Itireleng, but we are being ill treated."We don't have medical aid, bonuses or any benefits and know management wants to chase us away".

She further explained that they wanted their full increment back-dated to April and not July. Dikeledi Matloba said, "We are being exploited and ill-treated as part time employees."This is despite the fact that we've been working for years at the institution."Management at the workshop claimed the workers had alreadybeen paid their increases in full and on time.