Immigration officers have threatened to go on strike after an unresolved dispute over salary levels, the Public Servants’ Association (PSA) said on Thursday.
”The department [of home affairs] should accept sole responsibility for the situation, as well as the impact of the strike, which will cripple all points of entry into the country,” said PSA deputy general manager Manie de Clercq in a statement.
The PSA will serve the department with a notice of its intention to strike after it failed to adhere to an agreement to upgrade immigration officers’ salary levels. He did not say when the notice would be served.
According to the PSA, the department had to conclude a job evaluation process by July 31 2006. This involved upgrading the pay of immigration officers on salary levels one to 12, and to also develop a plan to implement this and discuss it with the PSA before August 7 2006.
”Unfortunately, despite signing the agreement, the department has failed to meet its obligations and continues to undermine the plight of immigration officers”, de Clerq said.
”Several meetings between the PSA and the department were held in an attempt to settle the dispute. Negotiations, however, suffered a severe blow because of the department’s lack of commitment,” said de Clercq.
The department’s spokesperson, Nkosana Sibuyi, said it was not aware of the PSA’s intention to go on strike and could not comment any further on the matter. — Sapa