Government says only members of the Public Servants Association will be allowed to take part in Thursday’s strike action. The Department of Public Service and Administration says there will be no total shutdown of government services.
More than 200 000 PSA members in the public sector are expected to down tools over wages. Government says it has put measures in place to mitigate the impact of the strike action.
The Public Servants Association (PSA) says it’s all systems go for Thursday’s nationwide strike. Government services at Home Affairs, Transport and border control are expected to be affected by this one-day strike.
The last major strike in the public sector was over ten years ago.
About 235 000 public servants belonging to the PSA will down tools across the country. The PSA issued a strike notice last month after the public sector wage talks deadlocked.
The union is demanding a revised offer of a 6.5% salary increase and the continuation of the cash gratuity.
The strike is expected to affect some of the major government services across the country.
PSA spokesperson, Claude Naiker says: “We are extremely confident that come Thursday we will be embarking on a strike across all provinces and we are certain that our members will turn up in their numbers.”
The PSA says it is disturbed by government’s decision to unilaterally implement a 3% salary increase. The offer will see the government paying out a R1 000 non-pensionable cash allowance until March next year.
Naiker adds, “There is a notice that has been circulated by the Department of Public Service and Administration saying they will pay our members on the 15th of November this is unacceptable and this will affect the collective bargaining process.”
The PSA striking workers are expected to deliver a memorandum of their grievances to the National Treasury’s offices in Pretoria.
Meanwhile, Cosatu-affiliated unions that have declared a dispute with the employer – have not yet pronounced their plan of action.
The unions were expected to brief the media on Wednesday but the event was postponed.
