Unions score big

Others in raft of contestable decisions that government took were: cessation of assistance with deduction of loan repayments, cessation of the secondment of public service employees to unions, and cessation of transportation of employee representatives to congresses, annual conferences and governing councils.

In declaring Bakwena's decision null and void, Justice Moroka agreed with the union's argument that the decision to terminate their organisational rights without giving them a hearing had rendered it unfair and unlawful."It requires no rocket scientist to notice that an abrupt unilateral withdrawal of officers seconded to the unions would leave the offices without office bearers," Moroka said. "The secondment of these office bearers is in the recognition agreements signed by the parties."Similarly, Justice Moroka said the sudden withdrawal of office accommodation to unions had a disruptive effect to the day-to-day operations of the unions.