With a couple of days left before South African matriculants start their final examinations, a strike by public servants planned for September 16 could deal a heavy blow to examination preparations.
Public Servants Association general manager Anton Louwrens said on Tuesday that close to 400 000 public servants will definitely go on a one-day strike on September 16.
“Union representatives will then decide on the way forward after the September 16 strike,” Louwrens said.
Eight unions in the public sector are expected to embark on the strike — four unions affiliated to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), two from the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and another two from independent unions.
Between the unions, there is a membership of 750 000 workers.
Public servants in essential services such as the police and medical services are prohibited from striking by law.
Wage negotiations between public-sector unions and the government have deadlocked with the unions demanding a 7% salary increase across the board while the government offered a three-year salary agreement with an increase of 6%.
The government’s salary increase offer is equal to CPIX and it is not willing to compromise on its stance.
Trade unions contend that the government would, in its present offer, retain a clause that would enable it to reduce the salaries of public servants if CPIX decreases.
Louwrens refuted government claims that its salary increase offer is comprehensive and includes salary progression based on merit, which includes a further 1% increase.
“This in any event is budgeted for and further more the merit system is flawed and is unfairly applied across the public services,” Louwrens claimed. — I-Net Bridge