Public servant unions to embark on a national shutdown on Tuesday

Spokesperson at South African Federation of Trade Unions, Trevor Shaku, says the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and Saftu which represent over 800 thousand public sector workers will go ahead and embark on a national shutdown on Tuesday, if government doesn’t meet their demands.

Public Sector unions have slammed government’s latest public pronouncement on a 7.5 % wage offer describing this as misleading.

Government says the workers final offer is comprised of a three percent pensionable salary increment and a four point five percent non-pensionable increase at a cost of 34 billion rand to the fiscus.

Shaku says at this moment they are still set on downing tools.

“We have never rejected 7.5 what was happening is that they included the gratuity which was given to workers last year into this deal and it cannot be the only increase we recognise is the three percent. We don’t want the three percent because it’s below inflation and it is a time when the cost of living is rising. I think the decision about launching an indefinite strike is on the cards if government doesn’t come to the party. The workers at the moment have served the employer with a notice of strike and we have concluded our picketing rules and we have begun to join what we call lunch time pickets throughout the country to ensure they register their dissatisfaction to the three percent,” Shaku explained.

Denosa

Denosa President Simon Hlungwani has urged all government employees and essential workers to participate in a planned national shutdown on Tuesday.

Cosatu, Fedusa and Saftu unions have rejected the government’s three percent wage offer, saying it doesn’t meet the employees expectations.

Public sector unions have also slammed government’s latest public pronouncement of a seven point five percent wage offer saying it is misleading.

Hlungwani says employees should not be afraid to join the planned national shutdown.

“What was on the table was a three percent which and that’s the only thing they did because the rest pf the gratuity was just a continuation from what what was offered from last year and nothing new to that effect so in essence. What the minister is saying is to push a propaganda that is trying to demobilise workers on the action were have planned but we remain resolute and workers must never be disrupted that we are continuing with our planned demonstration on Tuesday and there isn’t an offer that is above the inflation. We are going ahead with that as it were,”  Hlungwani added.

Video: Saftu weighs in on the latest 7,5% wage offer: Trevor Shaku