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.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2007 allAfrica.com. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.