Public sector unions preparing to down tools
The National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) and the Public Servants Association (PSA) are preparing for a strike in the public sector.
This comes after workers rejected the government's offer of a 3% wage increase.
Nehawu and PSA are two of the unions that rejected the government's 3% offer at the Public Service Bargaining Council last Tuesday.
In August, the government raised its wage offer from 2% to 3% for public servants, but this has been rejected by unions.
The public sector workers have not received a salary increase in more than three years.
The 3% offer, which government maintains is the final one, has now lapsed at the Bargaining Council.
PSA spokesperson Reuben Maleka the union is finalising picketing rules before filing a notice of a strike.
"The PSA attended a meeting today where the constructive engagement took place on the proposed draft picketing rules. The PSA proposed some amendments to the rules and the government requested time to apply its mind to the proposed amendments.
“Parties agreed that government will provide a written response on 14 October 2022 to which the PSA will reply. Parties will convene on 17 October 2022 to conclude on the rules, failing which, the commissioner will issue picketing rules in line with section 69 of the Labour Relations Act," says Maleka.
Maleka says the strike is unavoidable if the government doesn't revise its offer.
"Despite the government indicating that the offer is now ‘off the table’ and that it will not re-open negotiations on the current offer, the PSA maintains that the pending massive strike action will prompt the government to reconsider its position. The PSA remains committed to serving the interests of the Union’s members and is convinced that a strike is unavoidable if the government remains arrogant," adds Maleka.
Meanwhile, Nehawu spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi says the union is awaiting a council hearing and a certificate.
"We are awaiting a conciliation hearing and thereafter the issuing of a certificate to embark on industrial action. We are going to be communicating once those processes have unfolded and we have received the certificate. In the meantime, we are calling on the government to focus on improving the offer as a form of avoiding disruption to service delivery and the struggling economy instead of demonstrating arrogance and desperately pleading for public sympathy.”
ALSO READ
