The pickets come amid growing threats of a nationwide strike action in the public sector over higher wages by the union, one of the Cosatu affiliates.Negotiations between government and unions collapsed at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council again earlier this month.
Spokesperson for Cosatu’s Joint Mandating Committee Richard Mamabolo says, “These are part of ongoing pickets across all provinces where members of different unions and federations are expressing their dissatisfaction with the 3%. In the coming days, the unions will be coming together. They are balloting their members and that outcome will give guidance on further action to be taken,” says Mamabolo.
Nehawu Sassa Chairperson, Vincent Mothiba says that salaries are the major grievance of the picketers. “The main issue is only salary. If government can give us the workers 10% then there will be no stress and nothing will happen. This thing is happening in all over the country. Today, we are not eating but demonstrating. We will eat later on,” says Mothiba.
Nehawu workers at the Sassa Document Warehouse say the pickets will continue until their demands are met.The workers are saying not even the rainy weather condition will deter them from their course. They’ve called on other unionised public sector workers to also join in the lunchtime pickets as a show of unity.