Nehawu to embark on ‘full-blown’ strike at Sars over wage demands

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has announced that it will embark on a full-blown national strike at the South African Revenue Service (Sars) over wage increase demands.

Nehawu on Tuesday briefed the media in Johannesburg on its planned strike, set to begin next Wednesday.

The union’s general secretary Zola Saphetha said they served Sars with a notice of intention to strike after wage negotiations, which have been ongoing since January this year, deadlocked at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

“The union declared the dispute after it was clear that the employer was not responding to our wage demands. Instead, the employer has been unwavering that the institution doesn’t have money due to National Treasury austerity measures,” Saphetha said.

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Nehawu’s decision to go on strike at Sars followed the Public Servants’ Association’s (PSA) announcement last week that it would also strike at the tax collection agency over wage demands.

Nehawu demands an 11.5% wage increase while the PSA – Sars’ majority union – demanded a consumer price index (CPI)-plus 7% increase across the board. However, Sars tabled a final wage offer of a zero-percent increase.

“The dispute remained unresolved as the employer continued with the non-response to our core demands, but only proposing to establish some task team which we rejected,” Saphetha said.

He said the union referred the dispute to the CCMA and conciliation was set down for 31 March 2022.

“The employer formally submitted a zero-percent increase, even though they had confirmed receiving the allocated budget, which they sought from National Treasury.

“After the vigorous engagement, unfortunately, we did not agree. Thereby a deadlock was reached and a certificate was issued.”

Saphetha said they convened meetings with their members across the country, wherein they unanimously agreed to go on industrial action at Sars.

He said Nehawu’s leadership was “happy and confident” with the preparations so far for next week’s strike.

“The strike will kick start on 25 May 2022 where our members shall demonstrate their power and send a clear message that no employer must take workers for granted,” Saphetha said.

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