BASIC EDUCATION
Teachers’ right to strike on the line in essential services review
A government agency is investigating whether to declare teachers and education support staff essential services, following a request from the DA. The probe has potentially far-reaching implications, as workers who are deemed to render essential services have a limited right to strike. The Labour Relations Act defines an essential service as one that, if interrupted, would endanger the life, personal safety or health of part of or all of the population. The task of determining which services fall under this umbrella falls to the Essential Services Committee, which was established as a result of the act. The committee has declared 18 services to be essential, including air traffic control, blood transfusion services, firefighters and emergency health services.
The DA’s deputy education spokeswoman, Nomsa Marchesi, said the party sought to ensure that pupils were safe and secure at school in the event of industrial action. "We want certain positions declared essential services. T...
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