POPCRU supports COSATU’s upcoming National Strike

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) supports and urges its members to join and participate in the upcoming COSATU National Strike which will be taking place this Wednesday, the 24th of August 2022.

Part of the intention of this national strike is to demand urgent action from policymakers to take drastic steps in avoiding an economic collapse that is threatening the livelihoods of millions of workers and the working class.

An overwhelming majority of our members within the criminal justice cluster and their families are directly affected by the high fuel and electricity prices that have worsened their living conditions, with their buying power having been continuously eroded, and while their salaries have been stagnant for 3 years now.

Currently, half the country lives in poverty with many families forced to live without adequate food, and many of them cannot find jobs. Workers are dealing with wage stagnation with their wages repealed by inflation and punishing debt.

The strike is to further demand the reversal of budget cuts that have led to an unacceptable wage freeze in the public service which have particularly had an adverse impact in the manner in which law enforcement agencies have been abled to provide sufficient service delivery amongst communities, and therefore entrenching soured relations which continue to entrench misunderstandings and divisions amongst communities and police.

As we go out in our numbers to support this COSATU strike, we are also working hard in preparation of our upcoming day of action to the Union Buildings next month, which will demand that;

  • Public Servants be paid what is owed to them,
  • A better salary offer on a baseline that is not less than 10%;
  • To attend to all other agreements that are not implemented such as housing scheme for Public Servants,
  • Treasury must reverse all austerity measures in the Public Service,
  • All vacant positions to be filled and the employment of qualified graduates to beef up the post establishment of the Public Service,
  • And we further demand that no State-Owned Enterprise must be privatised.

These actions will be pursued on many fronts, including lunchtime pickets across all Police stations, Correctional Centres, Traffic institutions and everywhere we organise in the country.

Issued by POPCRU 

For more information contact Richard Mamabolo on 066 135 4349