Pretoria - A tug-of-war is under way between Cosatu-affiliated public service unions, the SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) over who was responsible for pressuring the government to accede to a new 7% salary increase offer for public servants in July this year.
The latest battle comes after Nehawu claimed that its eight days of industrial action had forced the government to relent.
Nehawu general secretary Zola Saphetha said their action had had significant achievements and outcomes.
“First, the government has recognised the need to have a Minimum Service Level Agreement. In the wake of the strike, the government has now appreciated the urgency of engagement on the draft framework on the agreement through the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council within a six-month period.
“The conclusion of the agreement will ensure a proper balance in adherence to the Constitution’s provision on the right to strike and the mandatory requirements regarding the designated essential services.
“In itself, this is a major step forward, as the government has consistently refused to align itself with the requirements emanating from the declaration of essential services by the Essential Services Commission in line with the Labour Relations Act,” Saphetha said.
Given this achievement, he said they wished to confirm that the union was proud of and saluted its members and workers for waging a relentless struggle, keeping the fierce picket lines and conducting a generally “peaceful strike”.
“Our members and workers have demonstrated their commitment to defend their rights and the collective bargaining, appreciating the dire implications of the persistence of this tendency in the broader public sector as well as the private sector. It is against this background that the union is now announcing the suspension of the public service strike.”
Nehawu, which boycotted the negotiations from Monday last week, has now ordered its members to return to work, promising to deal with the government’s threat to implement the “no work, no pay” policy.
Saphetha said as their members return to work, the national union and its structures would be available to support and intervene in instances of victimisation or intimidation by the bosses in contravention of the settlement agreement.
But his statement irked Sadtu.
Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke dismissed Nehawu’s claims, saying it was his union and other unions affiliated to Fedusa, who together form 53.9% of those currently in negotiations at the bargaining council, who were making strides in the current wage negotiations.
“Contrary to lies and the cheap propaganda peddled by unions who have been boycotting the negotiations and bullying others into their agenda, the public service wage negotiations are continuing,” Maluleke said.
He said since negotiations began, from February 17 to March 14, Sadtu and Fedusa, at the bargaining council, had moved government from its initial offer of 4.7% to 7%, saying that included the R1 000 after tax as a notch increase with effect from April 1.
“The pay progression of 1.5% which workers will receive on top of the 7%, with effect from July, will be paid in accordance with sectoral collective agreements. This is an achievement which we have scored in 2023, the reinstatement of the pay progression. Sadtu and Fedusa are pushing the employer to improve the offer…”
“Given the current material conditions and the competing priorities of the national fiscus, Sadtu strongly believes we have made significant strides, but we are still resolute to push government to improve its offer,” Maluleke said.
Pretoria News