Unions, govt to face off in Labour Court over wage agreement
Updated | By Nokukhanya N Mntambo
Public sector labour unions are expected to take to the Labour Court on Wednesday over government’s failure to keep its end of the bargain in the 2018 public servant wage agreement.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) and the Public Servants Association (PSA) will vent their concerns before the court in Johannesburg.
Both are demanding that government honours its three-year wage agreement of 8%.
Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba says it remains steadfast in its demands.
“Government declared war on the public sector workers by approaching the court to declare the agreement null and void, this is despite the fact that they implemented the first two years of the agreement without fail.”
Xaba believes the union has a good chance at success.
“Our legal team will prove in court that government’s argument is both flimsy and ridiculous at the same time.
“Nehawu will not allow government to renege on binding collective bargaining agreements willy-nilly as this sets a bad precedence to other employers who take a leaf out of government’s book and elect to undermine collective bargaining as enshrined in our constitution and labour relations legislative frameworks,” he adds.
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PSA slams govt's 'stalling tactics' ahead of public sector wage battle
The public sector union is expected to appear at the Labour Court on Wednesday in its battle with government over its failure to implement a 2018 wage agreement. But the Department of Public Services and Administration called a meeting on Sunday with the union, proposing a new settlement.
The matter has caused massive tension between government and public servants.
The Department of Public Services and Administration called a meeting on Sunday with the PSA, proposing a new settlement.
Nehawu has distanced itself from the meeting.
“We were not part of the meeting and we won’t comment on something we were not a part of,” Xaba says.
But the PSA also doesn’t seem to have taken the bait.
The union’s Reuben Maleka accuses government of trying to stall ahead of Wednesday’s court appearance.
“We said to the minister that if there’s any settlement that he believes can be acceptable they can put that on record with our attorneys and our attorneys can consider it based on already what has been presented or in our court papers,” says Maleka.
Both public sector unions organise millions of workers across the country.
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