The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) has vowed to intensify its public service strike until its demands are met by the government.
Nehawu attacked
The union leadership on Sunday evening held a press conference in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, on the collapse of wage negotiations in the public sector.
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Union-affiliated civil servants have been staging nationwide protests since last Monday over a wage dispute with the government. The union demanded a 10% wage increase, while the government offered 4.7%.
The strike action, which has been halted by the Labor Court after the Department of Public Services and Administration (DPSA) approached the court, has seen violent protests at essential health and other government facilities, with some patients being turned away from hospitals.
At least four people were killed in the strike action.
WATCH: At least four dead in Nehawu attack
The government condemned the demonstration and insisted that the principle of no work without pay would apply to civil servants who participated in the strike during working hours.
With other public sector unions expressing interest in joining the strike, the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) last week called on all parties involved in wage negotiations to return to the bargaining council to continue discussions.
The Labor Appeal Court on Friday heard Nehawu’s appeal application against the DPSA enforcement order. Sentencing has been reserved for Monday.
4.7% wage offer
Secretary general Nehawu Zola Saphetha on Sunday accused the government of misleading and confusing workers over the 4.7% wage offer.
Saphetha said the government has offered a 0.5% salary hike to civil servants. He said the 4.7% offer included a 4.2% cash gratuity that workers received.
“We must clarify that the percentage offered by the employer is only 0.5% due to the fact that the gratuity will now enter the baseline, which means that the workers are once again robbed by the government.
“Furthermore, the conversion of the R1 000 cash gratuity into a 4.2% wage increase to the pension baseline would be regressive and therefore disadvantage workers at lower pay levels.”
The union added that it remains determined that “no litigation or intimidation from the government will stop them from fighting for public servants, defending collective bargaining, and workers’ rights.”
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