Sars has plans in place ahead of looming strike
The South African Revenue Service (Sars) says contingency
plans have been put in motion to mitigate disruptions at its branches and
borders across the country, in case
workers unions continue with their planned wage strike on Thursday.
Unions, National Health Education & Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) and the Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) are demanding an 11.5% increase.
Sars Executive for Remuneration and Benefits, Takalani Musekwa, says the unions and the organisation agreed on an 8% offer in the first of a three-year deal.
However, parties could not agree on the multi-term proposal.
“They rejected that we have a multi-term and for us, a multi-term was too important to ignore because we need to find a way over the next three years to claw back on that,” says Musekwa.
Musekwa says the offer tabled on Tuesday night, was their final proposal.
“We are still hoping labour will come to us and say they have relooked it and they are willing to accept it.”
He adds Sars has made sure that there will be extra staff at the country's ports of entry.
“We have for the past week when we got the notice of the strike, made arrangements around the country to mitigate disruptions to our service,” says Musekwa.
The picket is expected to take place at Sars' head office in Alberton if the strike goes ahead.
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However, NEHAWU, says it will continue with the planned salary strike on Thursday.
“This evening a meeting was held with the employer to try and find common ground but due to the intransigence of the employer negotiations once again deadlocked,” the union said in a statement on Tuesday night.
NEHAWU is set to brief the media later on Wednesdy.