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- Four unions have received certificates of non-resolution in the deadlocked public service wage talks.
- This clears the way for these unions to issue strike notices if the deadlock remains.
- Unions marched to Parliament on Tuesday rejecting the government's 3% wage offer and demanding a 10% increase.
- For more financial news, go to the News24 Business front page.
The risk of more public service unions going on strike heightened sharply on Tuesday after four public service unions at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) were given certificates of non-resolution in the deadlocked public wage negotiations.
This comes as the Public Servants' Association (PSA) is preparing for a full-blown public service strike next week, after serving the government with notice of an intention to strike last month.
The certificates of non-resolution pave the way for the unions to serve the government with notice of a strike within a week if the deadlock remains. The date of the strike commencement will depend on the strike notice itself. None of the unions served notice of a strike by Wednesday morning.
Between the four unions that were given certificates of non-resolutions are an estimated 548 000 members. Added to the estimated 235 000 members of the PSA that are already on the cusp of striking, the number of striking workers could be close to 800 000 if all four unions issue strike notice in the deadlock.
Acting Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi invoked section 5 of the Public Service Act in October, allowing him to implement a 3% wage increase in public service unilaterally.
READ | Public wage bill uncertainty a significant risk to medium-term outlook, warns research group
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana tabled a Medium-term Budget Policy Statement last week that accommodates an average 3.1% rise in the public service in the medium-term expenditure framework.
The National Education, Health, and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa), the Police, Prisons, and Civil Rights Union (Popcru), and the Health and Other Personnel Services Trade Union (Hospersa), were all in dispute resolution at the PSCBC this past week and were awarded certificates of non-resolution as talks failed to break the deadlock.
Nehawu spokesperson Lwazi Nkolisi said the union received a certificate after the conciliation failed to resolve the dispute on Tuesday. He said the Nehawu has not issued a strike notice yet.
Denosa spokesperson Sibongiseni Delihlazo told News24 that the union got its certificate after not reaching common ground with the employer.
"This certificate was issued late yesterday after the conciliation process had run for two days. But we have not issued a notice yet, as we engaging our structures about the latest development, which is the certificate of non-resolution," said Delihlazo.
Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said: "We have not issued a notice as yet. When we do, we will definitely communicate it. Our teams have not yet met, and they will meet today. We will make sure we communicate it soon".
Nehawu, Popcru, Denosa, and Cosatu marched to Parliament demanding that the government negotiate in good faith with unions. They rejected the 3% wage offer from the government and demanded a 10% increase, saying that they were prepared to strike through December for it.
Cosatu Western Cape chair Motlatsi Tsubane said the march was "a build-up to the main action, where unions will shut down all public institutions". He said the unions were prepared to bring all public service offices to a halt to prove their point to the government.
