Nehawu in court to ensure strike over wages continues

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union’s (Nehawu’) strike against government’s unilateral implementation of the 2022/2023 wage agreement reached its fifth day on Friday and the union is in court to ensure its strike continues. 

The union was in the labour appeal court on Friday to appeal against an order of the labour court authorising the employer to execute the order interdicting the strike. 

Nehawu spokesperson Lwazi Nkolonzi said after the union filed a notice to the employer on February 23 indicating it was going to embark on a strike on Monday, the employer filed an urgent application to interdict the strike.  

The labour court granted the order on March 4 interdicting the strike. 

The union then filed an appeal against the order on Sunday, thereby suspending the order obtained by the employer. 

“We commenced with our strike on Monday and Tuesday, and the employer filed an urgent application for the execution of the order it obtained on Saturday.”  

Nkolonzi said the court granted the employer the order on the same day. 

“After that, our legal team advised us to appeal against the urgent execution of the Saturday order. The appeal will be heard today,” Nkolonzi said. 

He said the main appeal by Nehawu against the interdict granted on Saturday was due to be heard. 

“This means the strike continues,” Nkolonzi said. 

The strike is over a wage dispute for the 2022/2023 financial year in which the employer implemented a 3% salary increase and a R1,000 cash gratuity payment. 

It has been characterised by intimidation and assault of healthcare workers and some patients being turned away from hospitals. 

The Gauteng health department obtained a court interdict against Nehawu on Wednesday evening to stop its members from obstructing health services to patients. 

TimesLIVE