Third union declares Netcare dispute

Johannesburg - The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) has declared a wage dispute with private health company Netcare [JSE:NTC], the union said on Thursday.

"We are going to continue engaging the employers so as to reach an amicable solution to this deadlock, but we warn the employer that our members reserve the right to withdraw their labour if they do not get a decent wage increase and an acceptable response to their demands," Nehawu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said.

Nehawu is the third union to declare a dispute with Netcare. Wage disputes have also been declared by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA and the Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of SA.

Nehawu declared the dispute with Netcare and its subsidiary Medicross over nursing wage negotiations for 2011.

It has demanded a 10.5% increase. Netcare is offering a 6.5% pay increase at Medicross and a 7.75% increase at Netcare.

A dispute resolution meeting will take place on April 11.

Should the dispute go unresolved at this meeting, the matter would be referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.

Netcare could not immediately be reached for comment.