The Communications Workers Union (CWU) is preparing to add its numbers to the public sector strike, as unions, businesses and communities await government's response to employee demands.
The move follows yesterday's threat by Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi that the federation would “shut down” SA's economy if wage negotiations were not resolved by next Thursday.
Speaking at a media briefing held late yesterday afternoon, Vavi said Cosatu intended to call a solidarity strike.
All 21 unions affiliated to the federation - a member of the ANC tripartite alliance - were called on to submit the required seven-day notice of the secondary strike to employers by Thursday, 26 August.
This morning, CWU secretary general Gallant Roberts said the union was busy with the preparations of the notice to employers and communication to members.
“They will both go out today. We support this call by our federation,” he said.
A CWU strike would potentially have a large-scale effect on the country's ICT sector, as the union represents workers in telecommunications and broadcasting, IT and call centre services, among other sectors.
The union claims to have 44 000 members across the country, and describes itself as “the most progressive, militant and growing union in the communication industry”. Its membership extends to workers in private sector organisations such as Telkom, the South African Post Office, the SABC, Vodacom, MTN, Nashua and TDS. It also has members in state-owned entities such as Sentech and the Independent Communications Authority of SA.
The current public services strike is into its second week, as Cosatu demands that government agrees to public servants' demands for an 8.6% wage increase and R1 000 monthly housing allowance.
Government has put a 7% increase and a R700 monthly allowance offer on the table, saying it is actually offering public service unions an 8.5% increase in “real terms”, by adding pay progression to its offer. However, this was rejected by Cosatu.
Thus far, 1.3 million public sector workers are on strike, bringing to a standstill services and facilities, such as public hospitals and schools.
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