The government has been threatened with strike action if it is fails to increase public sector wages.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) is reported as warning that if the increases are not paid, workers ‘will withdraw their labour power’ on 3 September and that, should there be no change, this ‘will lead to the complete withdrawal of their labour as from 10 September until their demands are resolved favourable to themselves’.
Businesstech reported that public wages are set through bargaining with unions and agreements stay in force for three years. The current agreement is in place until March 2021. However, in February, government asked to review the last leg of a three-year pay agreement because it said it couldn’t afford it.
The report said the coronavirus pandemic had further exacerbated the country’s financial problems with unions and government now set for a showdown.
Nehawu said: ‘The issue of the non-implementation of the salary increase remains a thorny issue that requires urgent solving right away. A caring government would have implemented the agreement to ensure that the morale of workers remains high during this torrid time.’
The Cape Argus quoted Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla as saying that it supported Nehawu’s plans, and that ‘(we) want public servants to go on a full-blown strike’.