Bloomberg reports that the Health & Other Services Personnel Trade Union of SA (Hospersa), representing about 5,000 park rangers, field guides and other service and hospitality workers at SA’s 21 wildlife preservation areas, is threatening to call a strike over a pay dispute.  

The union indicated on Wednesday that the industrial action “will bring services to a resounding halt,” affecting visitors’ bookings as well as “day-to-day services like room service and bush walks, while petrol-filling stations could remain unmanned.”  Hospersa declared a dispute against South African National Parks, known as SANParks, following “months of protracted wage negotiations” and has apparently been joined by two other recognised unions.  Talks deadlocked when the unions rejected SANParks’ final wage increase offer of 5.5%.  Workers are reportedly seeking 11.5%.  The matter has been referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to try and end the impasse

• The original of the above report by Vernon Wessels is at Moneyweb

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