VIDEO: Nehawu Union Building ‘protest’, Cosatu calls on workers, citizens for support

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) is set to protest outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Monday amid the union threats to go on a full-blown strike in October.

Nehawu has been engaging in lunch hour demonstrations hoping that President Cyril Ramaphosa responded to their demands.

The union’s demands include proper personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers, for government to address mounting allegations of corruption linked to the procurement of PPE and an 8% salary increase for health workers who have been in the frontline during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The union also demand mechanisms in place for workers dealing with Covid-19 as well as for PPE tenders to be centralised to a remedy for reported corruption.

Over 34,000 healthcare workers have been reported to have contracted Covid-19 since March meanwhile 257 have succumbed to the virus.

ALSO READ: Govt needs to address health sector’s potential full-blown strike, says PSC commissioner

Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba said the union would protest in Pretoria until Ramaphosa responds.

“The leadership of Nehawu tomorrow will picket at the Union Buildings until President Cyril Ramaphosa responds positively and adequately to our demands.”

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has called on “all workers and citizens” to support Nehawu.

All workers and citizens should support #NEHAWU protest action to pressure @GovernmentZA @TreasuryRSA @PresidencyZA to respond to the demands in the memorandum #October7Stayaway @UpdateAtNoon pic.twitter.com/y17OjqgfeA

— @COSATU Today (@_cosatu) September 21, 2020

Nehawu general-secretary Zola Saphetha said last week that Ramaphosa had failed to respond to its memorandum of calls after the union gave the President seven days to take action with an urgent response.

“Disappointingly, the office of the president has only acknowledged the receipt of our letter and nothing about responding to our demands,” he said.

The memorandum was submitted to the Nationwide Assembly speaker and all premiers of each province in the country excluding the Western Cape.

READ MORE: Nehawu strike ‘an irresponsible action’ during a national crisis, says health department

Saphetha said that the union would speed up its preparations and plan for a full-blown strike.

“The strike will affect both private and public health, parastatals, public service administration, higher education, including both private and public social development.

“Both the 3 October, which is the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) International Day of Action, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general strike on the 7 October 2020 will be integrated into our strike action plans,” said the general secretary.

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