The Public Servants Association has threatened to take legal action against the Government Printing Works (GPW) over the suspension of employees after they complained about poor provision of personal protective equipment [PPE] in their workspace.
The PSA says it’s disturbed by the GPW’s failure to comply with the Occupational Health Safety Act at the expense of workers.
The PSA’s Reuben Maleka said this was coupled with the GPW’s intimidation of employees.
“The GPW provides printing services to all spheres of government. It operates as a factory with printing machines and equipment. As a production and manufacturing company, it is thus compelled in terms of the OHSA to provide and maintain a safe working environment without risk to employees,” he said.
“PPE items that must be provided to employees include safety shoes, overalls, gloves, ear plugs, and gloves to protect them against harmful chemicals, noise, paper cuts, sharp blades, and heavy-metal equipment,” he said.
However, GPW employees have allegedly been working without the necessary PPE for months despite several requests to management to provide such items. The labour union said some of its members were no longer willing to compromise their safety to meet the GPW’s service-delivery demands.
“On June 2 2023, they informed the GPW that they were only prepared to work if there was compliance with the OHSA, but rather than responding to their plea, the GPW reacted by placing them on immediate suspension,” said Maleka.
Maleka believes the action is unlawful and amounts to intimidation and abuse of power, as the suspended employees raised the issue of lacking PPE in June 2022 and again in September 2022 but all they received from the GPW were empty promises.
“The OHSA forbids victimisation of employees who demand compliance by an employer. It further provides that employees should not place their lives at risk where employers are directed to provide PPE,” he said.
Maleka said contrary to the OHSA and other labour laws, the GPW management decided to abuse its power and subject these employees to disciplinary action, while there have been several incidents at the GPW where employees were injured and harmed by machines and chemicals.
“Some employees have lost fingers that were severed by machines. One of these employees has been waiting for injury-on-duty payment for six years and is expected to continue working without PPE,” he said.
As a representative of more than 80% of the GPW’s employees, the union said it met with management to discuss the situation and demanded that the decision to suspend employees be reconsidered.
“However, they refused to reconsider. Employees are working in fear as they are threatened that if they did not “want to work, they should go home”. It is deplorable that a vital component of government’s unlawful conduct is jeopardising its employees’ safety, coupled with intimidation,” he said.
– TimesLIVE
Union fights state agency over lack of PPE
Workers suspended for complaining
The Public Servants Association has threatened to take legal action against the Government Printing Works (GPW) over the suspension of employees after they complained about poor provision of personal protective equipment [PPE] in their workspace.
The PSA says it’s disturbed by the GPW’s failure to comply with the Occupational Health Safety Act at the expense of workers.
The PSA’s Reuben Maleka said this was coupled with the GPW’s intimidation of employees.
“The GPW provides printing services to all spheres of government. It operates as a factory with printing machines and equipment. As a production and manufacturing company, it is thus compelled in terms of the OHSA to provide and maintain a safe working environment without risk to employees,” he said.
“PPE items that must be provided to employees include safety shoes, overalls, gloves, ear plugs, and gloves to protect them against harmful chemicals, noise, paper cuts, sharp blades, and heavy-metal equipment,” he said.
However, GPW employees have allegedly been working without the necessary PPE for months despite several requests to management to provide such items. The labour union said some of its members were no longer willing to compromise their safety to meet the GPW’s service-delivery demands.
“On June 2 2023, they informed the GPW that they were only prepared to work if there was compliance with the OHSA, but rather than responding to their plea, the GPW reacted by placing them on immediate suspension,” said Maleka.
Maleka believes the action is unlawful and amounts to intimidation and abuse of power, as the suspended employees raised the issue of lacking PPE in June 2022 and again in September 2022 but all they received from the GPW were empty promises.
“The OHSA forbids victimisation of employees who demand compliance by an employer. It further provides that employees should not place their lives at risk where employers are directed to provide PPE,” he said.
Maleka said contrary to the OHSA and other labour laws, the GPW management decided to abuse its power and subject these employees to disciplinary action, while there have been several incidents at the GPW where employees were injured and harmed by machines and chemicals.
“Some employees have lost fingers that were severed by machines. One of these employees has been waiting for injury-on-duty payment for six years and is expected to continue working without PPE,” he said.
As a representative of more than 80% of the GPW’s employees, the union said it met with management to discuss the situation and demanded that the decision to suspend employees be reconsidered.
“However, they refused to reconsider. Employees are working in fear as they are threatened that if they did not “want to work, they should go home”. It is deplorable that a vital component of government’s unlawful conduct is jeopardising its employees’ safety, coupled with intimidation,” he said.
– TimesLIVE