Times Of Swaziland: UNIONS’ CHILLED WARNING  TO GOVT

UNIONS’ CHILLED WARNING  TO GOVT
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BY KWANELE DLAMINI on 01/10/2017 03:30:00


MBABANE – Forewarned is foretold. Public Sector Associations (PSAs) have
warned government about the consequences of a nationwide strike should push come
to a shove in the, up now, topsy-turvy, negotiations process for their cost of
living adjustment.
The PSAs are Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Swaziland
Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP), Swaziland Nurses
Association (SNA), and the National Public Services and Allied Workers Union
(NAPSAWU).
They have tabled a cost of living adjustment demand of 9.15 per cent and
government has offered them nothing. For a period of a month, government is yet
to vary its offer of 0.00 per cent.
snubbed
After both parties snubbed the negotiations on September 20 and 27 respectively,
the PSAs took government to court seeking an order compelling their employer to
return to the negotiation table and conduct the process in good faith.
In their application at the Industrial Court, the PSAs, which are represented by
Lucky Howe of Maphanga Howe Masuku Nsibande Attorneys, outlined the untold
damage that would befall the country should they be pushed to a corner where
they find themselves with no alternative but to strike.
Government, which is represented by Ndabenhle Dlamini, is still to respond to
the associations’ affidavit.
SNAT Secretary General Zwelithini Mndzebele said as the matter stands now they
are at a deadlock and the only option available under normal circumstances would
be to strike, the effects of which would be devastating to the public.
He mentioned that the country recently applied for a loan of E600 million (US$50
million) for the referral hospital and secured another for E1.3 billion to
upgrade the country’s roads.