- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Thousands of government workers strike for third day
- Date: 30th July 2009
- Summary: MAN WITH POSTER READING "15% IN OUR LIFETIME" LINE OF RIOT POLICE IN FRONT OF BUILDING ENTRANCE WOMAN IN ARMY UNIFORM, CARRYING GUN, PROTESTING WITH OTHERS CROWD OF PROTESTERS IN STREET GAUTENG DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES ENTRANCE WHERE PROTESTERS WERE TO DELIVER THEIR MEMORANDUM OF DEMANDS PROTESTERS SINGING AND DANCING
- Embargoed: 14th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAF3ILSXB7A0YHF60OJB9VFQBWL
- Story Text: A strike by tens of thousands of South African council workers entered its third day on Wednesday (July 29), disrupting local government services and keeping up pressure on President Jacob Zuma.
Traffic came to a standstill as thousands of protesting workers marched to the local government offices to deliver a memorandum of demands.
Heavily-armed police escorted the marchers to prevent any violent disturbances.
The strike is the latest stand-off between Zuma and the unions who helped sweep him to power in an April election and now want the president to fulfil his promises to help lift the living standards of the poor.
South Africa is suffering its first recession since 1992 which unions say has hit the country's poor hardest.
Unemployment is rising with over four million South Africans without jobs, according to official data.
SAMWU (South African Municipal Workers' Union), the union representing 150,000 council workers, said its executive would meet later on Wednesday to consider an improved offer from employers.
The union is demanding a 15 percent pay increase and said 70 percent of council workers earnt less than the 5,000 rand monthly minimum wage it was demanding. Employers have tabled a revised offer of an effective 13 percent increase.
Most of the protesting workers are said to be sticking to the 15 percent demand.
"No, we're not (accepting the 13 percent). We have a mandate to accept fifteen percent. It goes to the bargaining committee tomorrow, we'll see what SALGA (South African Local Government Association) says," a union official told Reuters.
Police warned motorists of traffic disruptions in the Johannesburg central business district as the striking council workers packed the streets. Residents who live in the district said the strike had hit normal services hard.
The strike by public transport workers, refuse collectors and licensing officers follows days of violent protests by residents of impoverished townships who have complained about lack of healthcare, water and electricity.
However, pressure on the government eased on Tuesday after South Africa's biggest union agreed a wage deal with gold and coal producers -- averting a potentially damaging strike in the key mining sector.
Strikes in the paper, industrial chemicals, pharmaceutical and petroleum sectors were also called off this week after wage settlements.
But unionised workers at public broadcaster SABC and fixed-line phone company Telkom embarked on a two-day strike on Wednesday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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