South Africa: Public Sector Unions Plan Strike

10 May 2007
allAfrica.com
By Verna Rainers

Cape Town — The South African government faces a nationwide public sector strike which could be the biggest since liberation in 1994.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) - an umbrella body for trade unions in South Africa - has demanded that the government respond to nine consolidated wage demands. If these are not met, Cosatu plans to have a "long strike until government comes back with a better offer," Sifiso Khumalo, the congress's public sector policy coordinator, told allAfrica in an interview Thursday.

Public service unions have asked for a 12 percent wage increase, and have rejected government's offer of 6 percent. Other demands include reforms of pay structures, increases in medical aid, better recognition for the upgrading of qualifications and a general review of conditions of service.

Cosatu is currently meeting with public sector unions to discuss action. A date for the proposed strike has yet to be decided.

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