SOUTH AFRICA SACKS STRIKING HEALTH WORKERS !
More than 600 striking public health workers in South Africa have been sent letters of dismissal, the public services minister has told the BBC.
"Our recognition of the right to strike... does not cover essential service workers," Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi said.
The unions, which called the strike 12 days ago, have refused the government's revised offer of a 7.25% pay rise.
Workers, who had wanted a 12% increase, say they will not go below 10%.
The strike has closed most of the country's schools and hospitals and more unions are due to join the industrial action on Wednesday, unless a deal is reached.
Salary deduction
Ms Fraser-Moleketi said that under the South African constitution, workers in essential services did not have the right to strike and 638 dismissal letters had been sent out on Monday.
The military has been helping out in South African hospitals
"For those protected workers who have been on strike, we are deducting salaries in line with the 'no work no pay'," she told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
She said the negotiations were continuing and she was hopeful they could bring the public sector pay dispute to an end.
"I would say that real negotiations have only taken place since about Friday of last week," she said.
"As is we've already increased our original offer by 44%."
The unions have said the industrial action will not end until all threats are withdrawn.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has said the general strike would lead to "complete strike" by Wednesday.
Cosatu is officially a partner in government but it has criticised the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for not doing enough to raise living standards of the poor.
The ANC is due to choose a new leader later in the year to succeed President Thabo Mbeki.
On Friday, troops were deployed outside schools and hospitals to help the police stop clashes between strikers and those who wanted to work, as the strike entered its second week.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
"Our recognition of the right to strike... does not cover essential service workers," Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi said.
The unions, which called the strike 12 days ago, have refused the government's revised offer of a 7.25% pay rise.
Workers, who had wanted a 12% increase, say they will not go below 10%.
The strike has closed most of the country's schools and hospitals and more unions are due to join the industrial action on Wednesday, unless a deal is reached.
Salary deduction
Ms Fraser-Moleketi said that under the South African constitution, workers in essential services did not have the right to strike and 638 dismissal letters had been sent out on Monday.
The military has been helping out in South African hospitals
"For those protected workers who have been on strike, we are deducting salaries in line with the 'no work no pay'," she told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
She said the negotiations were continuing and she was hopeful they could bring the public sector pay dispute to an end.
"I would say that real negotiations have only taken place since about Friday of last week," she said.
"As is we've already increased our original offer by 44%."
The unions have said the industrial action will not end until all threats are withdrawn.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has said the general strike would lead to "complete strike" by Wednesday.
Cosatu is officially a partner in government but it has criticised the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for not doing enough to raise living standards of the poor.
The ANC is due to choose a new leader later in the year to succeed President Thabo Mbeki.
On Friday, troops were deployed outside schools and hospitals to help the police stop clashes between strikers and those who wanted to work, as the strike entered its second week.
posted by jackaranda at 8:24 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home