South Africa: the strike is threatening to spread to the miners

By on September 2, 2010
“Our members are still on strike”, Maluleke Mugwena, from the COSATU trade union confederation, said. “The new government’s offer will be discussed with our members, this is not what we wanted but it is a step in the right direction” he added.

After lengthy discussions, the unions rejected the new government’s offer, which proposed 7,5% wage increase against 7% previously, with a monthly housing allowance of 800 Rands (86 Euros) instead of 700. The strikers are still demanding 8.6% increase plus an allowance of 1000 Rands for some 1.3 million civil servants whose salaries are often low.
From the Government side, the spokesman for the Department of Public Services, Dumisani Nkwamba, said that: “the negotiations resumed on Tuesday, we will meet again and we hope to find a solution. The strike must end”.
The president Jacob Zuma had ordered his ministers to resume talks with the strikers to end the movement that is threatening to spread to the miners, the backbone of the continent’s biggest economy, and other sectors. The strike is severely affecting the functioning of schools and the hospitals. Because of lack of health care personnel, some 4 000 soldiers were deployed in 58 major public hospitals to ensure minimum service, and many schools have closed their doors.

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