The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in KwaZulu-Natal is embarking on a strike at all Life Healthcare hospitals across the province after wage negotiations deadlocked. 

The strike started this morning after protracted wage negotiations that lasted five months failed to break the deadlock between NEHAWU and the employer. NEHAWU served the employer with a notice to strike after receiving a certificate of non-resolution on the 5th February 2020.

Workers are demanding a 7% salary increase to be backdated to the 1st January 2020 as part of a single term agreement.

The employer is currently offering a 5% salary increase across the board with effect from the date of signing the agreement, which is against the spirit of the recognition agreement. For years the employer has been offering workers salary increases that are below the CPI while the hospital groups have been doing well financially and continue to expand across the province.

NEHAWU strongly believes that the employer can improve the current offer that they are putting on the table. In this regard, we are available 24/7 to negotiate as and when the employer has an improved offer for us to consider. As NEHAWU, we believe that our demands are reasonable and achievable by the employer.

Issued by NEHAWU KZN