Durban – The South African Revenue Service (Sars) said on Thursday it had been granted an interim labour court order interdicting National Health Education & Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) and Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) members from picketing in places other than those specified in the CCMA picketing rules issued last year.
Union members employed by the tax collector started striking early in the day at dozens of Sars branches countrywide, demanding higher salaries. The pickets were deemed illegal as they took place outside of the agreed-upon areas, being the Sars Head Office and Alberton Campus.
"Nehawu and PSA have been ordered to fully comply with the picketing rules issued and ordered to refrain from staging any picketing, gatherings or marches at any other location other than the above mentioned with immediate effect from today, Thursday March 28, 2019," said Sars via an emailed statement.
Sars and the unions would meet on Friday at the CCMA "to engage in formal discussions in a bid to amend the picketing rules", said the statement.
On Wednesday, Sars said it had reached a deadlock in negotiations with unions over salary increases and improvements in conditions of service and benefits for bargaining unit employees. This followed months of negotiations that started in November 2018.