SADTU WESTERN CAPE SCORES A VICTORY FOR CONTRACT EDUCATORS IN VACANT SUBSTANTIVE POSTS
4 OCTOBER 2024
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) in the Western Cape achieved a ground-breaking victory when they secured the jobs of hundreds of contract educators when a settlement agreement was reached between the union and the employer under the auspices of the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC). The contracts of all suitably qualified contract educators in vacant substantive posts will be converted into permanent status by 15 November 2024.
The Western Cape Education Department declared the post basket for 2025, with a decrease of 2 407 posts. Had the union not challenged the interpretation and application of ELRC Collective 4 of 2018 and Collective 2 of 2024, the contract teachers would have been the first casualties of the austerity measures as their contracts would not have been renewed for 2025.
While this is a victory for the union and contract teachers in the province, there is an obligation on the contract teachers to ensure their schools upload on e-recruitment all the necessary documents to facilitate the conversion process as a matter of urgency. School principals are also expected to co-operate to save the jobs of the contract educators and ensure that they become permanent.
SADTU will always prioritise job security as one of the non-negotiables for all education workers and will wield an unwavering battle for all its members.
ISSUED BY: SADTU Western Cape Secretariat