NYAKALLO TEFU
The South African Communist Party says it supports the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union’s action to protect frontline workers in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19) and ensure that the government honours the public sector collective bargaining agreement.
On Thursday, members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) are expected to embark on a national day of action as part of its commitment to defend and protect its members and general health workers against COVID-19 due to a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Nehawu is unhappy about the conditions in which health workers do their jobs.
Nehawu is also unhappy that the government has reneged on the agreement to increase its employees’ salaries by between 4.4% and 5.4% while watching the elite benefiting from the proceeds of corruption through personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders and supply of other Covid-19 essentials.
“The SACP unwaveringly supports Nehawu’s demands for both private and public health-care sectors to comply with occupational health and safety legislation, regulations and protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” said SACP spokesperson Dr Alex Mashilo in a statement.
“The SACP unwaveringly supports Nehawu’s demands for both private and public health-care sectors to comply with occupational health and safety legislation, regulations and protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”
“The SACP also calls upon the government to honour the collective bargaining agreement for wage adjustments for public service workers. Failing to comply with the collective bargaining agreement is an affront to workers and a source of disruption and industrial instability.”
The SACP added: “A wide range of factors compromised the front-line workers, including corruption and failure to comply with occupational health and safety legislation, regulations and protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”
(COMPILED BY INSIDE POLITICS STAFF)
