The unions included the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) and the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw).
The Public Servants’ Association of SA (PSA), the country’s second-largest public service union, said it was not in favour of a strike and wanted the matter resolved through the courts, if need be.
On Wednesday, the Nehawu leadership convened an urgent special meeting of its national executive committee to discuss a way forward.
This followed a stakeholder meeting held by the bargaining council earlier on Wednesday, “in which government demonstrated vividly that it is not prepared to honour the [multiyear wage] agreement”, Nehawu general secretary Zola Saphetha said.
“At the council meeting the employer proposed that workers fund the last leg of the increment through pay progression and capped leave,” he said.
Saphetha described Nehawu as a caring union that understood the dangers posed by the rapidly spreading coronavirus, confirmed in more than 700 people in SA.
As such, it has taken a decision to postpone the planned national day of action to a date to be confirmed soon.
“During the lockdown, the [Nehawu] leadership shall explore all possible avenues at their disposal, particularly if the agreement is not implemented as it is by April 1 2020, and shall use the union’s internal forms of communication with its members on the developments if any.”
Nupsaw general secretary Success Mataitsane said it still rejected the 0% increase tabled by public service and administration minister Senzo Mchunu at the PSCBC.
He said while the strike had been suspended, the action would still be considered when the lockdown is lifted.
PSA assistant GM Reuben Maleka said its lawyers would send a letter of demand to Mchunu, requiring him to make an undertaking that “he will implement the salary adjustments come April 1”.
“We are not going to down tools as the PSA, even when the lockdown has been lifted, because this matter requires us to litigate.
“If the minister fails to increase our salaries, we will approach the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
“If the outcome is not in our favour, we will then approach the courts,” Maleka said.
Denosa, which previously said it was willing to down tools if the government showed “disdain” towards workers by not honouring the wage agreement, seems to have had a change of heart.
Denosa acting general secretary Cassim Lekhoathi said embarking on a strike was now not their “primary objective and intention”, adding, “It will be premature to accuse the government of not honouring the wage agreement ... let’s wait for April 1.
“We will take the government to the CCMA if it doesn’t enforce the wage agreement.
“If the CCMA outcome is not in our favour, we will approach our members and see if they are ready to down tools.”
Mchunu, who could not be reached for comment, has said they did not want to speculate about what would happen on April 1 as the matter is “too sensitive and serious for speculation”.
At the first meeting of the bargaining council since the February budget, detailed plans to cut the wage bill by R160bn over three years were announced. — BusinessLIVE
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Public service unions divided over planned wage strike
Image: SIMPHIWE NKWALI
Cracks are beginning to show in the previously united front between public service unions on what action they plan to take against the government to compel it to increase public servants’ salaries on April 1.
The unions were previously in unison that embarking on strike would force the government to honour the wage agreement signed in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) in 2018.
Though some are still in favour of downing tools, others seem to be rejecting that idea and want the matter settled in the courts, if push comes to shove.
On Thursday morning, the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), SA’s largest public service union, said it had postponed its national day of action against planned cuts to the public sector wage bill.
Nehawu had said it would embark on a national day of action on March 30 as a warning shot to government to implement the last leg of the multiyear wage agreement, failing which they threatened to embark on full-blown national strike.
However, the 21-day lockdown from midnight on Thursday, announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday, threw a spanner in the works for the unions, which have expressed their anger at the government for “its plan of implementing a 0% salary increase for public servants” at their last meeting at the PSCBC on Tuesday last week.
The unions included the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) and the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw).
The Public Servants’ Association of SA (PSA), the country’s second-largest public service union, said it was not in favour of a strike and wanted the matter resolved through the courts, if need be.
On Wednesday, the Nehawu leadership convened an urgent special meeting of its national executive committee to discuss a way forward.
This followed a stakeholder meeting held by the bargaining council earlier on Wednesday, “in which government demonstrated vividly that it is not prepared to honour the [multiyear wage] agreement”, Nehawu general secretary Zola Saphetha said.
“At the council meeting the employer proposed that workers fund the last leg of the increment through pay progression and capped leave,” he said.
Saphetha described Nehawu as a caring union that understood the dangers posed by the rapidly spreading coronavirus, confirmed in more than 700 people in SA.
As such, it has taken a decision to postpone the planned national day of action to a date to be confirmed soon.
“During the lockdown, the [Nehawu] leadership shall explore all possible avenues at their disposal, particularly if the agreement is not implemented as it is by April 1 2020, and shall use the union’s internal forms of communication with its members on the developments if any.”
Nupsaw general secretary Success Mataitsane said it still rejected the 0% increase tabled by public service and administration minister Senzo Mchunu at the PSCBC.
He said while the strike had been suspended, the action would still be considered when the lockdown is lifted.
PSA assistant GM Reuben Maleka said its lawyers would send a letter of demand to Mchunu, requiring him to make an undertaking that “he will implement the salary adjustments come April 1”.
“We are not going to down tools as the PSA, even when the lockdown has been lifted, because this matter requires us to litigate.
“If the minister fails to increase our salaries, we will approach the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
“If the outcome is not in our favour, we will then approach the courts,” Maleka said.
Denosa, which previously said it was willing to down tools if the government showed “disdain” towards workers by not honouring the wage agreement, seems to have had a change of heart.
Denosa acting general secretary Cassim Lekhoathi said embarking on a strike was now not their “primary objective and intention”, adding, “It will be premature to accuse the government of not honouring the wage agreement ... let’s wait for April 1.
“We will take the government to the CCMA if it doesn’t enforce the wage agreement.
“If the CCMA outcome is not in our favour, we will approach our members and see if they are ready to down tools.”
Mchunu, who could not be reached for comment, has said they did not want to speculate about what would happen on April 1 as the matter is “too sensitive and serious for speculation”.
At the first meeting of the bargaining council since the February budget, detailed plans to cut the wage bill by R160bn over three years were announced. — BusinessLIVE
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