Pretoria News reports that the ongoing strike over wages by SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) employees was far from over, Public Service Association (PSA) Tshwane provincial manager Olivia Mashigo warned on Monday.
She gave the warning after employees represented by the PSA intensified their call for a living wage by downing tools at all Sassa offices and picketing outside the Sassa head office in Pretoria. All Sassa offices were affected countrywide. In Pretoria, the members arrived at locked gates and no one came out to address them. Mashigo commented: “The fact of the matter is that we are not going to stop and we are willing to spend whatever needs to be spent and do whatever needs to be done, in order for our members to be heard.” Mashigo indicated: “For this week we are having a complete shutdown today (Monday) and we will continue to picket for the rest of the week. The main issue that prompted the strike is the issue of wage negotiations. We told Sassa that we want a certain amount but they were only offering 7%.” Members were apparently demanding salary increases of between 11% and 13%. They were also picketing over the biometric system.
- Read this report by Rudzani Matshili in full at Pretoria News
- Read too, Sassa employees threaten to intensify strike, at eNCA
- See too, Sassa’s strike could have ‘catastrophic’ consequences, says PSA, on page 4 of The Star of 3 July 2018
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page