Public servants across South Africa are poised to strike next week Tuesday (22 November 2022) in a “National Day of Action.”<\/p>\n
The main march is to be at the National Treasury’s offices in Pretoria, while union members will march to their equivalent across the other provinces.<\/p>\n
Picketing is also set to occur at service centres such as public hospitals, ports and government institutions, e.g. home affairs.<\/p>\n
The Public Servants Association (PSA) said that unions have been forced to intensify their industrial action after communication between workers and the government broke down.<\/p>\n
According to the PSA, the government has offered a 3% and continued R1,000 cash gratuity only until March 2023 – this has subsequently been rejected by workers who last saw an increase in 2019.<\/p>\n
The government was given a seven-day ultimatum to respond to the calls for a 10% increase across the board – this was not met, and unions now plan to take to the street.<\/p>\n
Enoch Godnogwana, the finance minister, unilaterally pushed through a 3% wage hike for government workers while unions have been demanding between 6.5% and 10%.<\/p>\n
Godongwana has said that the Treasury has done all that it could have<\/a><\/strong>. “We have got no room to move at the moment; even in the medium-term budget policy statement, the carry-through costs we have are only for the 3%.”<\/p>\n Other unions set to take part in the strike include the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) which represents 274,000 members. The PSA represents approximately 235,000 workers.<\/p>\n Including the PSA and Nehawu, several other unions have been granted strike certificates, representing over 800,000 workers.<\/p>\n The PSA already concluded a previous march on 10 November. Government departments, especially home affairs and transport activities, were targetted by picketers. Despite the pickets, the respective departments reported little to no impact on operations.<\/p>\n Addressing the media on Thursday (17 November), a spokesperson for the unions <\/a><\/strong>said that workers are set to protest the failure of the government to address the needs of workers and the poor as the cost of living continues to worsen.<\/p>\n Skyrocketing petrol prices, food and public transport costs have taken their toll on workers across the nation.<\/p>\n “The unilateral implementation gives us – the unions – no reason to engage with the bargaining council.<\/p>\n “We are no longer just fighting for a decent wage; we are fighting to keep the right to bargain in the face of continuous efforts by the government to undermine bargaining,” said the spokesperson.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, addressing workers outside the PSCBC, Newhawu said that they have had to be meticulous<\/a><\/strong> about when they timed the upcoming strike.<\/p>\n “We have to make sure that when we start\u2026we hit hard and that the employer feels the wrath and the pain of the worker.”<\/p>\n Public servants have faced pushback, with some arguing that they are essential workers. Nehawu has struck this down, saying that it is up to the government to remedy the situation.<\/p>\n\n
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