The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] is inviting the media to cover the NEHAWU National Day of Action in Defence of Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights, which will take place on Tuesday August 24, 2021 across the country.
The National Day of Action comes against the background of a well-coordinated onslaught directed at collective bargaining and workers’ rights by the government and state entities like SARS, NHBRC, ARC and IEC etc. The government has made it its task to reverse and roll-back the gains made by workers over the years and this is evident with the non-implementation of the PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2018 in particular the last leg which is clause per clause 3.3 on salary adjustment. The recently concluded public service wage negotiations, wherein the government has again shown total disdain towards workers by offering them a gratuity.
The government, last year [2020] instead of implementing a signed collective bargaining agreement resorted to using courts to oppose the implementation of a signed collective agreement and thereby denying our members and workers what was rightful due to them.
The national union [NEHAWU] has resolved to defend and protect collective bargaining and the rights of workers. The defence of these rights is based on a principle understanding that workers have fought and sacrificed their lives for those rights, and as NEHAWU, we will not allow government to undermine and reverse the gains made by workers. It is for this reasons that we approached and filed at the Constitutional Court an appeal to enforce the implementation of the last leg of the PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2018.
On Tuesday [24th August 2021], the Constitutional Court will be hearing the matter pertaining to public servants salary adjustment. The union has committed to fight until the bitter end to defend collective bargaining and the rights of workers. The decision by the government to renege on a signed collective bargaining agreement has also affected other sectors/employers who are now dragging their feet in implementing binding collective bargaining agreements such as SARS, ARC, NHBRC, and others. At SARS, the employer reneged to implement the last leg of the 2019 signed salary agreement, the increment was to be effective as of the 1st April 2021.
At the Agricultural Research Council [ARC], the employer offered a 0% increment last year 2020/21 and again offered a 0% for the current financial year. Also at the National Home Builders Registration Council [NHBRC], the employer did not honor the 2020/21 increment (2nd leg) and this matter is currently at the labour court. These are amongst the many examples of employers who have taken the same approach as that of government to undermine collective bargaining and the rights of workers.
As NEHAWU, we will not stand idle whilst the government and employers have embarked on an agenda to undermine collective bargaining and rights of workers. This forms part of the broader neoliberal which is centred on austerity measures which includes amongst others: budget cuts, retrenchments, outsourcing of services and freezing funded vacant posts.
The National Day of Action in Defence of Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights will be in the form of pickets which will be directed to the Constitutional Court, National Treasury, Department of Public Service and Administration [DPSA] and the nine offices of the Premiers in provinces.
Details of the demonstrations are as follows:
Constitutional Court
Time: 10h00
Address: Constitution Hill, 1 Hospital Street, Braamfontein 2017
Department of Public Service and Administration
Time: 10h00
Address: Batho Pele House, 546 Edmond Street, Arcadia
National Treasury
Time: 10h00
Address: 40 WF Nkomo Street, Pretoria
Eastern Cape Premiers Office
Time: 10h00
Address: Office of the Premier Building, Independence Avenue, Bhisho
Kwazulu-Natal Premiers Office
Time: 10h00
Address: 300 Langalibalele St, Pietermaritzburg
Mpumalanga Premiers Office
Time: 10h00
Address: 7 Government Boulevard Building 2 Riverside Park, Mbombela
Limpopo Premiers Office
Time: 10h00
Address: 40 Hans van Rensburg Street, Mowaneng Building, Polokwane
Free State Premiers Office
Time: 10h00
Address: OR Tambo House, Cnr Markgraaf & St Andrew’s Streets, Bloemfontein
North West Premiers Office
Time: 10h00
Address: Garona Building Dr James Moroka Drive, Mmabatho
Western Cape Premiers Office
Time: 10h00
Address: Provincial Legislature Building, 1st Floor, 15 Wale Street, Cape Town
Northern Cape Premiers Office
Time: 10h00
Address: JW Sauer Building, Kimberley
Adherence to Covid-19 regulations will be observed throughout the National Day of Action in Defence of Collective Bargaining and Workers’ Rights.
Members of the media are invited to attend and to cover these events
END
For more information contact: NEHAWU Acting National Spokesperson, Cde Lwazi Nkolonzi, at 081 558 2335 or email lwazin@nehawu.org.za