BL Premium reports that as the government pushes on with implementation from Thursday of its rejected 3% pay offer to more than 1.3-million public servants, unions say they will down tools next week to back their demands for above-inflation increases.

Strike certificates have been issued to Cosatu’s largest affiliates, including Nehawu, Popcru and Denosa. The SA Policing Union (Sapu) and the Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of SA (Hospersa) have also received strike certificates and are considering going on strike. “On Thursday, we are having a joint media conference of public service unions. We are going to outline our programme of action,” said Nehawu’s Lwazi Nkolonzi. The SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) won’t be part of the strike next week because it has accepted the 3% offer, as has the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA and the Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie. The planned strike comes after the Public Servants Association (PSA) embarked on a one-day strike across the country last week. The union gave the government seven days to respond to its demands. But a Department of Public Service & Administration spokesperson said on Tuesday that the employer would not be responding to the PSA as “there is nothing to respond to.” The PSA’s Reuben Maleka said the union would intensify its strike action by strategies such as a joint industrial action planned for next week Tuesday.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page