News South African news
Some 1.3 million public servants affiliated to the Congress of SA Trade Unions and the Independent Labour Caucus (ILC) will down tools on Tuesday.
The unions last week rejected government's revised wage offer of a seven percent increase and a R630 housing allowance, as well as a 1.5 percent fixed pay progression.
They are aiming for an 8.6 percent wage increase and a R1000 housing allowance, backdated to April 1. There were no scheduled talks between government and the unions on Saturday and Sunday.
According to ILC chairman Chris Klopper, workers were expected to return to work on Wednesday, but another strike might or might not occur. "We will be back in negotiations on Wednesday and will give the government a chance to Sunday to see if we can reach an agreement," Klopper said. "We will then decide on what further action we are going to take."
He said the unions declared a dispute two months ago, and by law would have been able to give notice and go on strike within seven days, but they had decided to "play the game".
"We did not exploit the World Cup as Eskom did. I'm sure if we did that we would have had an agreement by now, but we are responsible to the country," Klopper said.
On Friday, Cosatu said in a statement it was all systems ready for the "public service complete shut down" on Tuesday.
