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Government has once again called on negotiators in the public sector strike to find a “win win” solution to end the mass action that has halted schooling and hospital services across the country.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, spokesperson Themba Maseko said government remained optimistic that a solution will be reached soon to end the strike that has now entered its third week.
Government was particularly concerned about the disruption of services in places such as hospitals and schools. “No nation can allow the sick to die because health care workers are on strike. No nation can prevent families from burying their dead. No nation can afford to put the future of thousands of young people on hold because of strike action,” said Maseko.
More than a million public servants downed tools 15 days ago demanding an 8.6 percent wage increase and R1000 housing allowance. The government’s offer initially stood at 6.5 percent and a R620 housing allowance, but after intense negotiations a final offer of 7.5 percent and R800 housing allowance has been put on the table.
Several unions were on Thursday still mulling over the new offer while others have rejected it.
“Government will continue to do all it can to bring an end to the strike. While the worker’s demands are fully understandable, this does not take away the fact that the state can only agree to a wage settlement that it can afford,” Maseko said, adding that the money would have to be taken from elsewhere. “Simply put, there is no money available. The resources to cover the draft agreement proposal will have to come from reducing expenditure in other areas of the budget.”
Maseko said analysts had placed the cost of the strike to the country’s economy at R1 billion a day. - BuaNews
