'Convince us' says union

Johannesburg - Public service unions have suspended their prolonged pay strike pending the outcome of more consultations with members and the government in the next 21 days.

"We are prepared to be convinced, we do not want to pre-empt on whether we will sign or not. We will cross that bridge when we get there," Democratic Teachers' Union president Thobile Ntola said at the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) in Centurion on Monday.

He said the suspension was not the result of political pressure, but was a decision made by the members themselves. They would go back to work as early as Tuesday.

However, this was not the sentiment expressed by members outside the PSCBC.

"You must go back to work and then come back and strike again. They must be kidding," said one of the strikers.

"Don't sign, we must continue with the strike," said another.

Ntola said that the decision on the consultation period did not mean there were divisions among the unions. They remained "absolutely united".

If one or two unions accepted the offer, that would be taken into consideration, he said.

"The decision by one of us doesn't mean a division. Majority points of view counts."

The unions have denied responsibility for the breakdown in negotiations with the government, saying President Jacob Zuma went to China while the country was in crisis. "Government needed to show statesmanship," said Ntola

About 1.3 million public servants rejected the government's opening pay offer of a seven percent increase and R700 a month housing allowance. The government later increased this to 7.5% and R800.

The unions are demanding an 8.6% increase, a R1 000 housing allowance and the addressing of other issues such as equalisation of medical fund payments.

Unions went away on Friday to explain the finer points of the deal to their members, many of whom have been on strike without pay for 20 days.

During the past 20 days, several protesters have been arrested for public violence.

Two non-striking nurses were attacked and seriously injured in the past week by their striking colleagues.

State hospitals have been crippled and several deaths have been blamed on the strike. The SA National defence Force has had to step in to help.

Schools have also been affected. In several provinces, preliminary matric exams have been postponed and many non-striking teachers have been intimidated.

The National Professional Teachers' Organisation of SA (Naptosa) said the current offer would be difficult to improve on under the present financial circumstances.

Its president Nkwai Ramasehla said in a statement this offer, which had to be seen as a comprehensive package, would require careful consideration.

He said Naptosa was focusing on a way forward, including implementing recovery programmes at schools.