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Public service unions preparing for ‘mother of all fights’ over salary increases

Details

southafricalogoFinancial Mail reports that public sector trade unions are preparing for "the mother of all fights" after the government last week reneged on the final leg of its 2018 wage agreement.  

On 15 April, the first group of SA’s public servants — nurses among them — were to receive salary increases based on the deal struck in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) in 2018.  "Sadly, there are no adjustments," Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) general secretary Riefdah Ajam indicated after the first tranche of salaries was paid.  Fedusa has launched a Labour Court application to force the government to implement the agreement, but the matter is likely to be heard only once the court reopens in May.  The National Union of Public Service & Allied Workers (Nupsaw) also says it has "no option" but to take the government to court.  SA’s biggest public service union, the National Education Health & Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), has taken a harder stance, saying it will begin to mobilise its members "in earnest" for "the mother of all fights".  General secretary Zola Saphetha warned that when the national Covid-19 national lockdown ends, his members and workers in general “will emerge militant, strong, energised and inspired to pick up a real fight with the government … to render the state system unworkable."  The government’s about-turn on the 2018 agreement comes after Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, in his February budget speech, announced drastic cuts to the public sector wage bill.

  • Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive
  • Read too, Unions declare dispute with government over salaries, conditions, at The Star


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