Sars strike officially over as Nehawu accepts offer
Updated | By Sinethemba Madolo
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) signed the wage agreement with the South African Revenue Service (Sars) on Tuesday - bringing an end to the nationwide strike.
The signing of the 8% wage agreement comes a day after the Public Servants Association (PSA) accepted the deal.
The two unions embarked on industrial action across the country on Thursday, demanding an 11,4% salary increase.
Sars offered workers 7%.
The multi-term agreement includes an increase in year two and three, based on the projected CPI plus 2%, an increase in the long-service award amount and the introduction of eight days prenatal and vaccination leave.
Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba says although they signed the deal following approval from their members, they are stilll unhappy about some aspects of the agreement.
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"In this regard, we shall continue to monitor its implementation and where necessary the union shall consider all possibilities to reopen the negotiations. We will continue to fight for the resolution of the outstanding issues."
Xaba says it is unfortunate that PSA signed the agreement while negotiations were still ongoing.
"We find it unflattering that the same union that was ready to fight until the bitter end for Sars workers folded precipitately while we still believed that the employer still had an opportunity to improve the offer presented on Sunday.
“Moreover, we want to dispel the myth that there is a majority union at SARS as it is a conscious distortion of cheap and desperate attempt as the narrative by the media that if PSA signs then the agreement enjoys majority support."
He says the union will continue the fight for decent wages.
"As Nehawu, we want to applaud our members and workers for their high levels of both resilience and discipline during the strike. This strike should serve as a testament to other workers that when they are united nothing is impossible. Nehawu shall continue to aggressively fight for better working conditions, decent wages and for workers to be treated with dignity."
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