JOHANNESBURG, June 12 (ANA) – The National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) said on Monday that it was preparing for a full-blown strike at the Dube Trade Port in Durban after salary increment negotiations deadlocked.
The strike was expected to commence on Monday as the union started with serving the 48 hours’ notice on Thursday.
The union has demanded an inflation plus six percent salary increase, totaling a 12 percent increase, or a R12,000 minimum wage. But the employer is offering eight percent and refuses to address the issue of minimum wage
Nehawu also demands the introduction of a 13th cheque, a R1,500 housing allowance per month, and the introduction of medical aid in which the employer contributes 50 percent.
Nehawu provincial secretary, Phakama Ndunakazi, said the Dube Trade Port management was seemingly reluctant to meet the demands presented by the workers.
“Failure to resolve these issues in the next coming few days, workers will be left with no option but to go on a full-blown strike,” Ndunakazi said.
“The leadership of the national union convened numerous meetings with the management of the Port, however, the management was too arrogant to listen to the genuine demands of workers. The membership of the union then mandated the leadership to roll out preparations for a strike action.”
The Dube Trade Port is a business entity of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government and designated as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) geared to promote foreign and local investment.
– African News Agency (ANA)
