The Public Servants Association served notice on Monday of its intention to strike after it failed to reach a wage agreement with the government.
THE PUBLIC Servants Association (PSA) served notice on Monday of its intention to strike after it failed to reach a wage agreement with the government.
The PSA said its members were geared for industrial action after the government failed to conclude an agreement on protracted salary negotiations for the public service.
The PSA said its members had rejected the government’s latest wage officer.
“Members mandated the rejection of a ridiculous and problematic offer, where workers would potentially lose some R1,000 of their monthly income, leaving the PSA no choice but to embark on industrial action. The PSA could not agree to a salary decrease for workers in view of uncertainty regarding the continuation of the cash gratuity beyond 31 March 2023.”
The PSA said the offered 3% salary adjustment did not meet the expectation of the union’s members, owing to steep price increases for basic necessities such as petrol, food and electricity as well as interest rate hikes.
“The situation was worsened by government’s failure to afford workers a real salary increase for three-successive years, resulting in stagnant salaries.The PSA thus filed the notice to strike on 24 October 2022, after exhausting all options possible to resolve the wage negotiation impasse and hitting a brick wall, owing to government’s arrogance and disregard of workers’ plight throughout the negotiations.”
The PSA said that effectively, the PSA’s members would have the right to strike seven days after filing the notice.
“The strike could not be avoided as, despite all attempts by the PSA, together with other unions, to demonstrate a willingness to negotiate, the employer failed to co-operate. The PSA’s members, after considering the events, voted in favour of strike action as they realised that all other options were exhausted. Their commitment to service delivery, even during the Covid-19 pandemic, was ‘rewarded’ with the tabling of a 0% salary increase offer.”
Public service employees had been the scapegoats for endless corruption, said the union.
“In addition, they work in dilapidated and unsafe buildings, endure chronic and excessive staff shortages, lack basic working tools, are insulted and attacked by the public for poor service, whilst experiencing a lack of career mobility and advancement owing to the deployment of unqualified cadres.”
The PSA said it remained committed to protecting and promoting the rights and interests of public servants, achieved through collective bargaining.
“The public service, its employees and citizens have been bleeding since the introduction of austerity measures by a cruel, uncaring government that refuses to acknowledge realities.”
