The schedule for a potentially massive public-sector strike expected to last a month will probably be divulged after unions meet later this week.
Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesperson Patrick Craven said on Wednesday that a programme of marches and rallies would be likely in the run-up to the strike.
About 800 000 workers — or 60% of civil servants, including teachers, health workers and police — could be involved.
”There will be a meeting of Cosatu-affiliated public sector unions tomorrow [Thursday] and one on Friday with all the unions,” said Craven.
”We can expect an announcement [of the date] then but the unions must first be consulted.”
Public-sector unions have rejected the government’s 6% wage-increase offer and stood by their 12% demand.
Monday was the last day of a 30-day period which the government and unions had allowed themselves to find a solution.
Public Service Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi has described the call for 12% as unaffordable and impractical.
The federation of school governing bodies (Fedsas) said teachers’ current salaries and benefits did not reflect the importance of their role.
”Fedsas has previously maintained that the service benefits of educators should reflect the fact that they are professional people,” said national chairperson Mike Randell recently.
”As long as this is not the state of affairs, the system will fail to attract the thousands of young people who are required annually to provide education to our children.”
However, Education Department director general Duncan Hindle has warned that teachers stand to lose a combined income of R70-million a day.
Health director general Thamsanqa Dennis Mseleku said it would be illegal for health workers to strike because they performed an essential service.
”We must ensure that we look after the interests of patients, especially in the emergency sections,” he said.
”We want to urge health professionals and health workers to adhere to their code of conduct and to their commitments to put the patients first, whatever the situation is,” he said.
Mayende Sibiya, president of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union, said this week that the strike would make the ”noble actions” by security guard union Satawu (South African Trade and Allied Workers’ Union) during its industrial action at the start of 2006 look ”insignificant”.
Asked if this implied that unions would be encouraged to resort to similar levels of violence, chief negotiator Allistair Charles was quick to point out that: ”We have never condoned any of the actions of Satawu, most of which still have to be proven in court.” — Sapa