SA public sector unions to strike next Thursday

| Friday July 30, 2010 00:00

More than 200, 000 members of the Public Servants Associate will stay at home after rejecting government's 6.5 percent salary increase.

Public servants were demanding an 8.6% salary increase and a housing subsidy of R1000 effective from April 1.In turn, government said it could not offer more than R620 as a housing subsidy, and 6.5% salary increase.And Public service unions affiliated to Cosatu have also resolved to strike.

'The unions met today [Wednesday]... we have now come to a firm conclusion to go on strike,' Fikile Majola, general secretary of the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) told a media briefing in Johannesburg.

COSATU claims up to 56% of the 1.3 million public sector workers including health, education, medical, prisons, police and defence force troops will down tools.

The unions affected are Nehawu, SADTU, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, the SA National Defence Union, the SA Medical Association, the SA State and Allied Workers' Union and the Public and Allied Workers Union of SA.

And they've upped the pressure on government by announcing a slew of protests and marches.

It's the start of mass action planned by unions who held back on earlier threats to strike during the World Cup, but warned that after the end of Africa's biggest sports' event, they would be taking action - (Business Day)