Immigration officers belonging to the Public Servants Association (PSA) will go on strike from the beginning of September, the union said on Friday.
”The strike will adversely affect all South African points of entry and international airports, and the department [of home affairs] should accept full responsibility for the situation as well as the impact of the strike,” PSA deputy general manager Manie de Clercq said.
The union, representing 90% of immigration officers, has already served the department with a notice of strike action, said De Clercq.
The decision comes after the union and department failed to agree on the upgrading of immigration officers’ salaries.
According to a recent job evaluation, the required entry level salary for immigration officers was determined to be level six of the public-service salary structure. Chief immigration officers were meant to be on levels 11 and 12.
”Immigration officers are currently paid on salary level two, which is way below their job grades. It is extremely disappointing that, despite the job-evaluation exercise, the department continues to under pay immigration officers,” said de Clercq.
He said negotiations on the matter had been going on for over a year.
Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Nkosana Sibuyi said the department will look at the impact the strike will have and how to minimise it. He did not want to give further comment on the issue. — Sapa