There has been no change in the government’s wage offer to public servants and strike plans are still under way, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Monday.
”We have not received any approach from them,” said Don Pasquallie, Cosatu spokesperson on the public-service unions, when asked if the government had revised its offer.
”There’s nothing further from government.”
He said the government had last week invited unions to individual talks, but this was rejected. ”We are not interested in bilaterals.”
Government negotiator Kenny Govender was not available for comment on Monday.
The unions are demanding a 12% increase, while the government has offered 6%. Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi has said the government’s offer ”is a lot more than 6%” in effect, and is a four-year deal.
The strike is set to start on June 1 and is to involve more than a million public-service employees across 19 unions.
Pasquallie said the unions met on Monday to get legal opinion on the position of essential-service workers.
Workers defined as being part of the essential-services sector are not legally permitted to strike. This includes the police, prisons, defence force and health sector.
Pasquallie said unions had been trying to get clarity on the definition of essential-service workers since 1999, in the belief that not all workers in those sectors should be so defined.
”The employer has just not responded.”
The strike notice for the public-service strike excludes essential-service workers.
Last week the unions declared a dispute with the government over the issue of defining the essential services.
”The strike might be over by the time there is an outcome on this issue,” said Pasquallie.
He said Monday’s discussions revolved around how to have the most effective strike within the law.
On Friday, Cosatu public-service affiliates plan to march in the capitals of each province.
”We are expecting more than 500 000 public-service workers to support that,” said Pasquallie.
Also on Monday, the Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie (South African Teachers’ Union — SAOU) started a strike ballot among its 24 000 members and is expected to finish by Friday.
”A final decision regarding participation in strike action will be based on the result of the ballot,” said SAOU president Steve Roux.
Roux said the ”possibility of reaching a negotiated settlement is on the wane”.
The SAOU is one of the six unions that together form the Independent Labour Caucus (ILC).
On Friday, the ILC and Cosatu agreed that Cosatu would postpone its initial strike date of May 28 to June 1, which would enable the ILC unions to participate in the strike, depending on the outcome of their strike ballots.
”During the combined meeting all unions confirmed anew that they are fully committed to a negotiated settlement, provided that a realistic and reasonable offer is placed on the table,” said the SAOU.
”The expectation is that should a negotiated settlement not be reached by May 25 2007, the usual hardening of positions and posturing will occur and that this will seriously impede any further chances.” — Sapa