A public-service strike will go ahead this week despite government claims of progress in last-ditch efforts to resolve a wage impasse, union leaders said on Wednesday.
”The general strike is going ahead,” said Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) president Willie Madisha.
The industrial action was being coordinated with the non-Cosatu public-sector unions who were not ”second fiddle” to the Cosatu affiliates, he said.
”They may be small in number but they are equal with us in respect to the organisation of the movement. We come together jointly to plan and say ‘this is how we go forward’.”
A 6,5 % to 9% increase will form the basis for the government and public-service unions to continue talks to resolve their wage dispute.
On Wednesday afternoon the parties at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council in Pretoria decided to adopt the technical document, containing the proposed increase bracket, as a discussion document.
The document was described by Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi in Parliament on Wednesday as ”a major breakthrough”.
Officially government’s offer was fixed at a 6% wage increase while the unions’ demand was still standing at 12%.
”This gives us the opportunity in a comprehensive manner to seek a new mandate. When that is going to happen is difficult to say. There are processes on both sides we need to follow but we’re looking at a very speedy process going forward,” said the government’s chief negotiator, Kenny Govender.
But unions were less positive, saying not much could be deduced from the tabling of the document.
”The document is nothing more than a discussion document. It is an unmandated document — all the parties have to go back to get further mandates,” said Chris Klopper on behalf of the Independent Labour Caucus.
South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) deputy general secretary Don Pasquallie said: ”Sadtu is rejecting this as a working document on the basis that nothing has changed.”
The document was drawn up earlier in the week by a technical committee consisting of government and union negotiators.
Apart from the wage-increase proposal, it also includes several other proposals on the salary package, including improvements on medical and housing benefits.
At lunchtime on Wednesday, the country’s largest teachers’ union, Sadtu said there would be no schooling on Friday when its members went on indefinite strike.
”The blame must be put at the door of the employer who has dragged negotiations for eight months,” general secretary Thulas Nxesi said.
”Negotiations will depend not just on pussy-footing … negotiations can only happen when there’s a real offer.”
Fifteen public sector unions in Gauteng — including independent unions, Cosatu affiliates and members of the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) — also announced strike plans for Friday.
The unions will march in Johannesburg at 9am.
Thabiso Shai of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa said off-duty or on-leave workers classified as essential services would support the strike.
National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union provincial secretary Thomas Mamuremi added: ”We are not going to dump patients.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Fedusa said that while it did not traditionally resort to striking easily, it supported the looming pubic-service strike.
Acting general secretary Ruby Oliver said this stand was a clear signal of widespread discontent in the public sector.
Independent Labour Caucus chairman Manie de Clercq said unions would take action on Friday.
”The strike action will still proceed.”
Madisha said provinces would come up with programmes to intensify action. — Sapa