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Johannesburg - Negotiations between Nehawu and the SA Bureau
of Standards (SABS) continued on Tuesday as a wage strike entered its second
week.
The National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union was
demanding a 12% salary increase, a 75% medical aid subsidy, a R1 200 housing
allowance and "equal pay for equal jobs".
Nehawu had earlier demanded a 20% salary increase but the
employer only put a 6% offer on the table and later revised it to 8%
with no housing subsidy and medical aid.
The union accused SABS of negotiating in bad faith after it
offered non-union workers a 7% salary increase.
"A settlement to this dispute is possible if the
employer has a change of heart and engages us genuinely, honestly and in good
faith," said Nehawu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla in a statement.
But the employer said there was nothing dishonest about the
seven percent given to non-union members.
"In order not to disadvantage other employees who are not members of the union we decided to implement the 7% increase," said SABS spokesperson Tebogo Seate.
About 150 SABS employees were involved in the strike when it
started, Seate said.
"There are negotiations taking place today (Tuesday).
We should be able to find a solution," he said.
Various business units had been advised to come up with contingency plans in order to service customers during the strike.
