Labour
Union strikes at Netcare, Unisa
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) upped the stakes in its wage demands yesterday by leading its members to strike at hospital group Netcare and Unisa. But Netcare said it was hardly affected by the strike as it had contingency measures in place. “A small portion of Netcare’s nursing staff, who had already received their increases, participated in the strike… Where needed, contingency plans have been put in place,” Netcare human resources director Peter Warrener said. The Netcare talks deadlocked over a demand for a 12 percent raise by the workers while the employer offered 7.2 percent. Nehawu said salary talks at Unisa began with the employer offering 5.3 percent while both Nehawu and the Academic and Professional Staff Association initially demanded 12 percent. The talks are now deadlocked, with the unions demanding an increase of 11.7 percent and Unisa offering 5.6 percent. – Wiseman Khuzwayo and Sapa
Tourism
Survey points to recovery
The tourism industry is recovering, helped by the weak rand, and the outlook for next season is encouraging, the latest survey carried out by Grant Thornton on behalf of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa shows. Despite complaints about rising costs and increased competition, jobs in the accommodation sector rose by 0.9 percent in the first quarter. In other tourism sectors jobs rose by 12.5 percent in the quarter. Rising costs are listed among negative factors for the accommodation sector. About 25 percent of respondents said there was not enough demand from leisure travellers, putting this down to recession in traditional source markets. – Audrey D’Angelo