Cape Town - Public Servants Association (PSA) members are expected to descend on Parliament in Cape Town and the offices of the National Treasury in the Pretoria CBD on Thursday to protest against the government’s unilateral implementation of a 3% increase despite reaching a deadlock with labour unions.
The union declared a deadlock with the government last month following its failure to accede to its demand for a 6.5% increase across the board for all public servants, including essential workers.
The strike was initially set for last week, but the union postponed it to Thursday. It vowed to bring services to a standstill in all public services institutions.
This means that services at OR Tambo International Airport and other airports and border posts will also be affected.
Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi appeared unfazed about the strike action on Wednesday, saying measures had been taken to remedy the situation while the PSA continued with its action.
Departmental spokesperson Moses Mushi said they had noted social media reports that the union would be embarking on a national march, despite having served the employer with a notice to commence with the strike on or after November 3.
“The department has put measures in place to mitigate the impact of such an action, including concluding the picketing rules that states that picketing shall only take place during lunch hour or tea breaks outside the premises of the employer,” Mushi said.
The government on Wednesday also reiterated that they would go ahead with the payment of a 3% salary increase, including non-pensionable cash allowances, next week.
Mushi said the payment date was November 17.
“Having considered the risks of public servants not receiving any salary increases for this financial year if the processes of wage negotiations are not concluded in time for the 2022 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement as outlined by the minister of finance, the acting minister for Public Service and Administration indicated that he would be implementing the last salary offer for the public servants that was tabled at the bargaining council following the facilitation process.
“The minister indicated that this would be in the interest of the public servants and the government’s planning cycle,” he said.
The department’s director-general, Yoliswa Makhasi, said the government would continue with the current non-pensionable cash allowance until March 31, 2023, to all employees on salary levels 1 to 12, including those covered by the Occupational Specific Dispensation employed in the public service, and a 3% pensionable increase to all employees on salary levels 1 to 12, backdated to April 1, 2022.
Aileen Mosetic, acting Western Cape manager for PSA Cape Town, said: “The PSA is disgusted with the manner in which the employer has treated our members and their disregard for collective bargaining and our trade union.”
They are expected to handover a memorandum to a representative following their march to Parliament at 1pm on Thursday.
Tshwane metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba on Wednesday said members of the union would gather at the Old Putco depot in Marabastad.
From the depot, they would join Struben Street and turn right into Sophie de Bruyn Street, turn left into Madiba Street to proceed straight until they reached the National Treasury at 240 Madiba Street.
Cape Times