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Government Printing Works’s suspension of employees condemned by PSA

Published

11 months ago

June 11, 2023

The Public Servants Association (PSA) strongly criticised the suspension of employees at the Government Printing Works (GPW), calling it an abuse of power.

The GPW, a part of the government, provides printing services across all departments and operates as a factory with printing machines and equipment, as per IOL.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act says the GPW’s mandate is to guarantee a safe working environment for its employees, including providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to guard against risks. The GPW should equip their employees with PPE items such as safety shoes, overalls, gloves, earplugs, and protective gear against harmful chemicals, noise, paper cuts, sharp blades, and heavy machinery.

“Despite multiple requests to management for necessary PPE, GPW employees have been working without proper protective gear for months. Some employees are now unwilling to compromise their safety to meet the GPW’s service delivery demands,” stated the PSA.

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The union further explained that on June 2, the employees informed the GPW about their unwillingness to work without compliance with the OHSA. Instead of addressing their concerns, the GPW responded by immediately suspending them, which the PSA considers unlawful and an act of intimidation.

“The employees who were suspended raised the issue of insufficient PPE in June 2022 and again in September 2022. However, the GPW only provided empty promises without taking appropriate action,” highlighted the PSA.

The union argued that the GPW’s actions violate the OHSA and other labour laws, which protect employees from victimisation and require employers to provide necessary PPE. By subjecting the employees to disciplinary action, the GPW is disregarding these legal obligations.

The PSA also expressed concern over the safety incidents at the GPW, including injuries caused by machines and exposure to harmful chemicals. Some employees have suffered severe injuries, such as severed fingers, with one awaiting injury-on-duty payment for six years and expected to continue working without adequate PPE.

At the time of publication, attempts to obtain a comment from the Department of Home Affairs, which oversees the Government Printing Works, were unsuccessful.

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