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 Government, unions at odds over turnout
    June 13 2007 at 10:59PM Get IOL on your
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Countrywide pay protests by public servants ended peacefully on Wednesday with sharply conflicting claims on the turnout.

One union said 600 000 workers took part in countrywide marches, while government put the figure at 70 000.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesperson Patrick Craven said initial reports suggested Wednesday's events had been "excellent".



Solidarity action from municipal workers and taxi drivers indicated the "depth and support" for the public servants, he said.
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The public service and administration department said the mass action had a "minimal impediment" on most service delivery.

"It is estimated that in all centres across the country 70 000 workers participated in the marches," said spokesperson Lewis Rabkin.

However, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) said reports showed a significant or general public service shut-down, "despite government obvious propaganda to the contrary".

"Our overall assessment is that more than 600 000 workers participated in the marches," the union said.

'We are not moving back'
Marches were disciplined and peaceful with one isolated act of violence reported, Nehawu said.

In Pretoria, Cosatu President Willie Madisha vowed that the "war" against government over public servants' wages would continue.

Ministers should resign and go back to their roots to experience workers' problems, he said.

Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi said in Cape Town: "We are not moving back, not one inch. So the government has a choice: do they see a long, long, winter, or do they want to settle?"

There were 43 marches countrywide in support of the unions' 10 percent wage hike demand.

The state and unions will meet again in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council on Friday, after talks scheduled for Thursday were postponed.

Shireen Pardesi, vice-chairperson of the council and the unions' chief negotiator, said unions would hold a leadership meeting and consult with members on Thursday.

She said a full-blown council meeting was now scheduled for Friday, around 10am.

The government on Wednesday accepted a proposal for a 7,25 percent wage increase for public servants, up from its earlier 6,5 percent offer.

"Recognising that we are 13 days into industrial action, and further recognising the toll that this is taking on all sectors of society, we... felt it incumbent upon us to accede to the proposal," said Rabkin.

Analysts say the strike will have a negative impact on South Africa's image.

"The inability of the partners to resolve the strike quickly does play into negative perceptions about South Africa. It's bad for the image of the country to have a protracted public sector strike," said independent policy analyst Ebrahim-Khalil Hassen.

Hassen said he was surprised by the length of the strike but that unions were fed up with government's approach.

"A lot of people are willing to sacrifice about half a month's salary for a better deal."

South Africa's image, both internally and externally, was likely to have been undermined by the strike, said SA Chamber of Business consultant Bill Lacey.

"People looked at South Africa at being an unusual situation in that we've reached a pretty harmonious way of resolving differences through consensus. That seems to have been undermined through the strike."

A fifth of the country's non-agricultural work force was employed in the public sector, he said.

"Very roughly, a fifth of the GNP (gross national product), the salaries and wages earned in South Africa, could have been impacted on as a result of staying away from work."

Effects on the private sector had been minimal.

Meanwhile, marchers countrywide sharpened up their slogans.

Posters included: "Geraldine: Most Wanted. If found 12 percent reward", "57 percent president; 50 percent ministers; 20 percent judges; six percent insult" and "Geraldine. You are the weakest link. KOOBYE."

The ruling African National Congress criticised "personal insults" against Fraser-Moleketi.

The minister was implementing government positions that had been taken by government as a collective.

"The ANC strongly condemns any attempts to disrespect the minister, regardless of whatever differences that may exist between government and the public sector unions."

The Cabinet on Wednesday expressed concern that union leaders were not providing adequate details of government's wage offer to their members.

It also warned union leaders against irresponsible utterings amounting to incitement.

Striking workers are due to have pay docked on Friday for strike days. - Sapa

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