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- Public service union structures in the Western Cape will march to Parliament on Friday for better wages in the public sector.
- The provincial structures could not participate in November's national day of action due to a taxi strike that was also taking place last month.
- While all indications point to Friday's march being a sparsely attended affair, the unions remain determined to get a 10% baseline increase in the wage talks.
- For more financial news, go to the News24 Business front page.
Public service unions in the Western Cape will get their chance to protest for better public wages on Friday after a taxi industry strike in November prevented unions in the Western Cape from participating in last month's national day of action.
Seven unions belonging to three of the largest labour federations in the country – Cosatu, the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), and the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) – are continuing their protests for better wages in the public service.
The seven unions are the Public Servants' Association (PSA), the National Education, Health, and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), the Police, Prisons and Civil Rights Union (Popcru), the SA Policing Union (SAPU), the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa), the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw), and the Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of SA (Hospersa).
READ | Public sector wage strike postponed in Western Cape due to taxi chaos
Unions rejected government's offer of a 3% salary increase plus a monthly cash amount of R1 045 (a 4.5% increase on the R1 000 monthly non-pensionable stipend civil servants are currently earning).
Western Cape structures could not participate in November due to a taxi strike in the province. Now that the unions' provincial structures can finally demonstrate, all indications are that the crowd will be small, but public servants remain determined to get their point across.
Public Service and Administration spokesperson Moses Mushi told News24 that the "no-work-no-pay" principle would apply in the Western Cape demonstrations, as they did during the November protest.
He said all public servants who were not ill or on leave were expected at their stations during work hours and that employees whose work constitutes an essential service could not strike.
Nehawu national spokesperson Lwazi Nkolisi said the joint public service unions have not received any response from the government on the memorandum of demands they submitted.
"We will be meeting as joint public service unions to develop a comprehensive response on the way forward," said Nkolisi.
Popcru Western Cape secretary Pat Raolane said the union's provincial structures were "unshaken and ready" to participate in the mass march to Parliament on Friday.
"We are ready. We are unshaken. We are not deterred. You will know that 3% is 0% to us. In SAPS, we have got cleaners, and some earn below R4 000. Once you say to a person who is a cleaner that they are given 3%, it's almost like you are giving them R90," said Raolane.
READ | Unions reject government's 'misleading' final public wage offer
Raolane said the union was prepared to sacrifice anything for the 10% baseline increase. He said Popcru was still finalising the attendance numbers for the strike.
Hospersa Western Cape provincial manager Marthenique Marinus said while the union did not expect large numbers from its ranks, members would be joined by national leadership.
"Because we are operating in essential services, we are only expecting 100 members to participate. [It] might be more or less. We are all set with our banners and placards for tomorrow," said Marinus.
SAPU Western Cape secretary Simon Rakgokong said: "Members are confirming attendance, but the estimate can only be given after consolidation, but it's quite a number of confirmations".
Denosa Western Cape secretary Jaco van Heerden said the union could confirm 40 members would participate in Friday's march. He said the structure would take its cue from the Cosatu collective.
