10111 strike suspended as pay talks continue
A 10111 call centre strike has been temporarily suspended and all employees are back at work while unions negotiate a salary hike.
The decision was taken in a meeting between the South African Police Union (Sapu), Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Sunday in a bid to resolve the ongoing workers’ strike over wages.
Sapu general secretary Oscar Skomere said they were still committed to fighting for a salary increase.
“We are disappointed by Popcru saying its members must not join the strike. The meeting on Sunday yielded no positive results,” he said.
“The CCMA commissioner has given Popcru time to decide whether they want to be part of the intervention or not, but the intervention is going on.
“The strike has been halted while we wait for the process to be finalised.
“We’re meeting again on Friday and the meeting will continue with Sapu, SAPS and CCMA – with or without Popcru, we will continue.”
Popcru spokesman Richard Mamabolo said they were committed to the negotiations.
“Our current stand is that we are not part of the strike. Our members are at work. We are part of the negotiation processes so we will wait and see what will happen at the weekend,” he said.
Meanwhile, the unprotected strike of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) members is continuing after they downed tools over unpaid overtime they claim dates back more than a decade.
The strike has affected wide parts of the province. No ambulances have been operating in King William’s Town, Mdantsane, Butterworth, Stutterheim, Ngqushwa, Fort Beaufort, Adelaide, Cathcart and Keiskammahoek.
Vuyisa Sizani of Butterworth receives renal dialysis at Frere Hospital every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and relies on ambulances to transport him to and from the hospital for his appointments.
He said he had hitch-hiked from Butterworth to East London on Monday because ambulances did not show up to fetch him and fellow patients.
“I had to hike because I can’t afford to miss any appointments. I just hope there will be an ambulance [today], or else I’ll have to hike again.”
Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the department had taken steps to nullify the strike.
“We have been granted an interdict against the striking members. We regard the strike as illegal and unprotected and we are implementing the principle of no work, no pay. We are still engaging with private ambulances to assist us,” he said.
He also said the department continued to pay EMS employees outstanding amounts. —