The wage dispute between private health company Netcare and National Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) members could lead to a strike if no resolution was found within two weeks, the union said on Tuesday.
Nehawu spokesman Sizwe Pamla said the union was looking forward to the conciliation meeting at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on May 3 to “try and resolve this impasse”.
“If this dispute is not resolved the union will then be issued with the certificate of non-resolve which then will make a strike action a real possibility.”
Pamla said Nehawu was mobilising members who work for Netcare and its subsidiary Medicross to be ready for looming industrial action over the nurses wage negotiations for 2011.
The mobilisation followed a failed dispute resolution meeting held on April 11. Netcare made an offer which was turned down by Nehawu members, Pamla said.
They offered administration staff R4845, an increase of 7.3 percent.
Health care workers would receive a minimum of R4290. A job evaluation would be done to determine the appropriate salary band.
The nursing minimums would be maintained as per agreed in 2010
and no increases on allowances were offered, Pamla said.
Nehawu was demanding a 10.5 percent increase. Netcare has offered a 6.5 percent pay increase at Medicross and a 7.75 percent increase at Netcare.
It also wanted a housing allowance of R1000, a uniform allowance of R350, a night shift allowance of R1000, danger allowance of R350, and a meal or administrative allowance of R200.
The union demanded a 100 percent medical aid subsidy for low earning staff. And it also demanded 10 days leave for shop stewards and three days study leave per subject.
Pamla said health sector strikes were an unnecessary action and inconvenience to the sick and injured.
“But we want to make it clear that we will defend our right to bargain and we believe that our members' demands are very modest and reasonable.”
He said even though the union took welfare of the sick seriously, Nehawu would not hesitate to “withdraw our labour if we are pushed into a corner”.
“These companies have a choice to make whether to choose money over their desperately sick patients/clientele and their next course of action will show whether it is true that they look at the sick people as a commodity to be exploited.”
Pamla said Nehawu would work with the companies to resolve the wage dispute, and if they did declare a strike, they would do so as reluctant participants “because we feel these issues need to and be cordially resolved.”
Netcare group director of human resources Peter Warrener said the company remained fully committed to the wage negotiations process.
“We will therefore continue engaging with Nehawu in the hope that a mutually beneficial solution will soon be found.”
Two other unions, the Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of SA (Hospersa) and the Democratic Nursing Association of SA (Denosa) are also part of the wage dispute.
On Friday members of Hospersa agreed to Netcare's 7.75 percent annual wage increase.
The increase would apply to administrative, nursing and support employees in 18 business units in the hospital division, Netcare said in a statement.
Also on Friday Denosa said its 5000 members were preparing to strike should Netcare not improve its offer before Monday.
The union wants an 11 percent increase across the board, improved allowances and the opportunity to renegotiate new contract terms next year.
Denosa was granted a certificate to strike by the CCMA on Wednesday. - Sapa