Trade union federations join hands for one-day strike
Unions affiliated with the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) will take part in a one-day strike next Tuesday.
Public servants have vowed to intensify their pushback against government’s unilateral implementation of a 3% wage hike.
Unions are demanding an increase of 10%.
Speaking at a joint briefing at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) in Pretoria, Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa’s (Denosa) president Simon Hlungwani says unions will mobilise across all nine provinces.
“We will march on the 22nd of November to the offices of National Treasury in Pretoria as our main march, which will be complimented by similar joint programmes in all other eight provinces. Further to that, we will be continuing with the picket demonstration across critical service centers like hospitals, ports, and government institutions. Our workplaces will become places will become points of struggle until government comes to its senses.”
The announcement comes as workers affiliated with Public Service Association count down hours to the deadline they gave government to respond to their demands during their march to the Treasury offices last Thursday.
Unions have lamented what they believe is government’s disregard and undermining of the bargaining process, especially after reneging on the final leg of the 2020 wage agreement.
“Our stand is also to demonstrate the seriousness with which we take the government’s concerted effort to underplay the role and significance of collective bargaining and the agreements that bind parties,” said Hlungwani.
Reading from the joint statement by the three main trade union federations, Hlungwani said they had also noted with disdain comments by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwane during his mid-term budget policy statement.
“The country’s one million plus public sector workers pour their hard labour into ensuring that the citizens of this country receive government services…Yet when they demand a fair raise in their salaries, they are told by their employer that “re ba zamile”, meaning we’ve tried to make them look good.”
Unions say they remain open to talks with government, but only if the employer returns with an improved offer.
Hlungwani said to date, government has made no effort to continue negotiations for the 2022/2023 financial year.
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