This peaceful march formed part of Nehawu’s National Day of Action in defence of collective bargaining and workers’ rights, which took place across the country.

“The National Day of Action comes against the background of a well-coordinated onslaught directed at collective bargaining and workers’ rights by the government and state entities like Sars, NHBRC, ARC and IEC.

The government has made it its task to reverse and roll back the gains made by workers over the years and this is evident with the non-implementation of the PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2018, in particular the last leg, which is clause 3.3 on salary adjustment.

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“Recently public service wage negotiations were concluded, wherein the government has again shown total disdain towards workers by offering them a gratuity,” said Nehawu’s acting national spokesperson, Lwazi Nkolonzi.

Nkolonzi said government, instead of implementing a signed collective bargaining agreement, resorted to using courts last year to oppose the implementation of a signed collective agreement, and thereby denied their members and workers what was rightfully due to them.

“We have resolved to defend and protect collective bargaining and the rights of workers. The defence of these rights is based on a principle understanding that workers have fought and sacrificed their lives for those rights, and we will not allow government to undermine and reverse the gains made by workers.

“It is for this reasons that we approached and filed at the Constitutional Court an appeal to enforce the implementation of the last leg of the PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2018,” he said.

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“Since the Constitutional Court will be hearing the matter pertaining to public servants’ salary adjustment, the union has committed to fight until the bitter end to defend collective bargaining and the rights of workers.

“The decision by the government to renege on a signed collective bargaining agreement has also affected other sectors/ employers who are now dragging their feet in implementing binding collective bargaining agreements.” Nkolonzi said they will not stand idly by while the government and employers embark on an agenda to undermine collective bargaining and the rights of workers.