By Bodwa Mbingo | 2019-09-21

Despite what has been viewed as a last gasp attempt by government to avert it after calling an urgent meeting on Thursday and yesterday for negotiations, the strike action by government employees that is scheduled for Monday until Wednesday is still on.

Civil servants that crammed the SNAT Centre in Manzini ahead of the PSAs’ strike action that commences after tomorrow, were yesterday told how government had dangled a 3 per cent CoLA once-off offer on the table during negotiations on Thursday afternoon.

However, the Public Sector Associations (PSA)s’ representatives in the Joint Negotiation Forum (JNF) did not accept this Cost of Living Adjustment (CoLA) offer as, for starters, they felt there was nothing written down as an exact offer hence the feeling that these were tactics by the government team to unsettle their plan to engage in the strike action. Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini told the meeting that their feeling was that government was trying to silence them and nothing else.

This was before another JNF meeting yesterday afternoon where this publication has it in authority, nothing definite was reached. This publication has gathered that the government team is still to consult with its principals following yesterday’s negotiations and has promised to return to the table before the strike on Monday.

In a communiqué sent to SNAT members by Secretary Dlamini last evening it reminded all their members that the PSAs’ Legal Strike Action will commence on Monday, as earlier announced and as reiterated by all government employees yesterday. “The SNAT NEC wishes to unreservedly thank all members who attended today's meeting that was held at the SNAT Centre.

This meeting was a resounding success. In the same vein, as the SNAT, we wish to inform the rank and file that a JNF meeting was convened today (yesterday) from 1500hrs to 1700hrs, as announced during the Joint PSAs Mass Meeting. Our trusted forces are informed that a comprehensive report on what transpired in this meeting will be delivered to all government employees during their regional marches that will be held in the four regions on Monday, as indicated in today's meeting.

During yesterday’s Joint Meeting, the PSAs insisted that no amount of negotiation by government will sway their members away from engaging in the strike action from Monday, except for the money they are asking for.

They said until government heeds to their call to give them their CoLA, which they say is also not subject to negotiation, then will continue with the planned action. SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini speaking when addressing the public sector workers yesterday said until they get something from government then things would stay the same.

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