Strike threat as wage talks stall
● SA is headed towards a national strike next month after negotiations deadlocked between public sector unions, including Cosatu, and the government on Friday night.
Trade union federation Cosatu has vowed to embark on strike action if the government fails to meet public servants’ demands.
The unions have tabled a list of demands that include better housing payments and a risk allowance of 12% of basic salary due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The unions represent more than 1-million teachers, nurses and police officers.
Magwena Maluleke, Cosatu’s chief negotiator, told the Sunday Times yesterday that after 15 hours of negotiating with the government, they did not reach an amicable solution.
“We tabled our demands on March 1. We’ve had more than four meetings where we tried to explain our demands to the government. They then asked for more time to consider our demands. They came back two weeks ago with 0% and we rejected it.
“They came back yesterday [Friday] with R9bn they are taking from other collective agreements we reached years ago in the form of pay progression, in the form of allowance and leave,” Maluleke said.
What the government is offering would be in the form of a cash bonus. “There will be no increase. According to the government, they have not factored any money for a salary increase. They’ll take from us and give us a cash amount out of what we were supposed to get in terms of a pay progression.”
Maluleke said there was “extreme anger” from workers during the negotiations.
“We were angry because we’ve given the government time to come back with an offer. Yesterday was a crossroads.
“Parliament must review the budget to factor in the increases for public servants.”
Though they understand the country is facing an economic crisis, the government has to bring “something” to the table.
Maluleke said the government has five days to come back to the unions with a revised offer. If it does not, “the unions will declare a formal dispute, which takes 21 days to be co-ordinated”. If this fails, the unions will embark on a strike, he said.