NHLS workers go on wage strike

Johannesburg - National Health Laboratory Service employees have gone on a strike demanding to be paid the same salaries as those in the public service sector.

Workers began their wage strike on Tuesday morning in all nine provinces, demanding that the NHLS's board implement market-related wage increases across the board, one of the striking employees told News24.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the employee said NHLS had agreed to address their grievances by April 1 2015, when the past three-year wage agreement had lapsed.

"We want it to happen immediately, in this financial year. Workers are starting to become impatient," he said.

He said the employees would continue to strike until their demands were met. Workers are also demanding an increase in their housing and medical aid allowances.

The strike was a result of failed wage negotiations which began in February 2015, the employee said.

In a statement issued early on Tuesday evening, the NHLS said some of its employees embarked on an illegal strike and most returned to work around lunchtime.

"In the majority of the NHLS laboratories, it is business as usual. A court interdict was issued in favour of the NHLS and the strike is thus illegal.  Laboratory services have and will continue despite the strike action," the NHLS said.

Around 14% of the service's employees across the country participated in the strike, the majority coming from Gauteng.

It said consensus has been reached on a number of matters but what brought on the strike was the demand that a revised reward and remuneration the NHLS began establishing in June 2013 be implemented immediately.

"The strategy has been approved by the board, but due to the financial affordability implementation, was approved over a five year period."

It was anticipated the first phase of the project could be implemented towards the latter part of this year.

"The NHLS has encouraged dialogue with labour and continues to do so," it said.

The NHLS is responsible for more than 80% of all pathology diagnostic services in the country, including at the national and provincial health departments, through a network of laboratories.

It also responsible for the diagnosing and screening of urgent patient tests for HIV, Ebola, Malaria, Cancer, Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) and Extensively-Drug Resistant (XDR) TB.