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Government plays down PSA’s industrial action planned for Thursday

Details

southafricalogoBL Premium reports that the government claims service delivery won’t be disrupted when the Public Servants Association (PSA), which represents more than 235,000 members, downs tools countrywide on Thursday.

The PSA’s Reuben Maleka said the union would hold marches in the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Free State, with a march to parliament planned for Cape Town. The one-day strike comes after Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) Acting Minister Thulas Nxesi unilaterally implemented a 3% baseline wage increase in October, which is expected to be paid to all qualifying public servants starting next week. DPSA spokesperson Moses Mushi indicated: “The action PSA wants to take is limited to lunchtime and tea-break; any work stoppage will be unlawful and the principle of no work no pay will apply, so we don’t envisage any service delivery disruptions [as] only members of the PSA are allowed to picket. It’s a normal working day. We’re not expecting service delivery disruptions ... we expect public servants to be at their work stations during working hours.” Yet, the PSA said in a statement: “The strike will have a serious impact on activities of departments, especially home affairs, transport, and border control.” Maleka insisted that Thursday’s industrial action would have a “huge impact” on the government’s service delivery efforts as the “ports of entry won’t be operational”, among other services. Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) general secretary Frikkie de Bruin said in a statement: “To date, we have received a strike notice only from the PSA. The PSA commenced with workplace picketing as per the picketing rules issued that will culminate in a one-day strike action planned for November 10 2022.”

  • Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
  • Read too, Public service strike is on, says union, as government expects business as usual on Thursday, at Fin24


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