JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A strike by 1.3 million workers in South Africa’s public sector now in its 16th day is testing President Jacob Zuma and the ruling African National Congress’s fragile relationship with organised labour.

Unions, especially the country’s largest labour federation COSATU, were instrumental in propelling Zuma to the presidency but have become increasingly frustrated with his government’s failure to adopt left-leaning polices they support.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Striking South African state workers held small-scale protests on Friday as union and government negotiators prepared for bargaining next week aimed at ending the three-week walkout by about 1.3 million.

The unions rejected a government offer of 7.5 percent pay raises, nearly double inflation, and 800 rand a month for housing, with workers demanding a better offer.

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 2 (Reuters) – Striking South African
state workers plan a protest march on Thursday and their leaders
will meet government negotiators after rejecting a revised wage
offer aimed at ending their three-week strike.

The majority of unions, most of which are in the largest
labour federation COSATU, voted against the offer on Wednesday,
prolonging a strike by 1.3 million state workers that a
prominent economist said was costing about $150 million a day.
[ID:nLDE6800TW]

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s public sector unions rejected a new pay offer from the government on Wednesday to end a three-week strike but asked for more time to consult their 1.3 million members in Africa’s biggest economy.

The majority of unions under a coalition, which included South Africa’s largest labour federation COSATU, voted against the new offer, although some smaller unions in the grouping were split in their vote.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – One of South Africa’s largest state workers unions said on Wednesday it had rejected a new wage from the government aimed at ending a three-week strike by about 1.3 million workers.

The announcement from NEHAWU, a union of more than 200,000 workers in healthcare and other services, comes just ahead of a meeting of a coalition of more than a dozen state workers’ unions, where the group is expected to give its verdict on the deal.

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Striking South African
state workers will vote on Tuesday on an increased wage offer
made by the government to try to end a nearly three-week-old
strike, the COSATU union federation said.

The government increased its offer to 7.5 percent from 7
percent — compared to the union demand for 8.6 — after being
ordered back to negotiations by President Jacob Zuma, under
growing political pressure over the stoppages. [ID:nLDE67T05Y]

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Striking South African
state workers will vote on Tuesday on an increased wage offer
made by the government to try to end a nearly three-week-old
strike, the COSATU union federation said.

The government increased its offer to 7.5 percent from 7
percent — compared to the union demand for 8.6 percent — after
being ordered back to negotiations by President Jacob Zuma,
under growing political pressure over the stoppages.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – The South African government and unions representing 1.3 million striking state workers plan talks Monday night following President Jacob Zuma’s order to ministers to negotiate immediately to end the walkout.

Union officials hoped Zuma’s call and the negotiations will lead to an improved offer to end the labor dispute that has closed schools, prevented treatment at hospitals and harmed investors sentiment toward Africa’s largest economy.

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 26 (Reuters) – South Africa’s top labour federation COSATU threatened on Thursday to sever its long-standing alliance with the ruling African National Congress and widen a state workers’ strike next week to key industries.

Thousands of striking state workers held marches in major cities nationwide calling on the government to end a strike by about 1.3 million of its unionised employees that has shut schools and cut off medical treatment at hospital.

"The alliance is unable to convene a summit for fear of an implosion as a result of fundamental differences on the question of where power lies," COSATU Secretary-General Zwelinzima Vavi said in a statement from the group that says it has 2 million members.

"The alliance is again dysfunctional; the centre cannot hold," he said in the statement read to reporters.

The comments are some of the strongest indications that organised labour, which helped President Jacob Zuma ascend to the presidency, may be willing to cut a relationship with the ANC forged in their struggle to end apartheid.

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For scenarios on what may happen next click [ID:nLDE67B0Q7]

How have other strikes been settled? [ID:nLDE67M0NF]

For a Q+A on what is at stake [ID:nLDE67I14T]

Reuters Insider TV on economy link.reuters.com/ven66n

For graphics on days lost in South Africa strikes, click

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The state workers’ strike has had no major impact on rand and bond trading but market players said worries would mount if it extended to September and was joined by other labour groups.

COSATU said it filed 7-day strike notices on Thursday so all its members could join the state workers in a strike they said would then hit mining and manufacturing, grinding the country to a halt. [ID:nLDE67N1QK]



BUDGET WOES

Several hundred thousand COSATU members are already taking part in the state workers’ strike.

The leader of the ANC’s Youth League Julius Malema also fired what amounted to a warning shot at Zuma on Wednesday night, questioning his leadership and implying the ruling party’s youth wing will not support Zuma for a re-election bid.

The government has said it cannot afford the state workers’ demand of an 8.6 percent wage rise, more than double the inflation rate, and 1,000 rand ($136) a month as a housing allowance. It has offered 7 percent and 700 rand.

The lowest-paid public servants make 40 percent less than the average worker, who earns 6,383 rand a month in salary and benefits. Mid-range public servants make about 40 percent more than average.

Any agreement to end the dispute is likely to swell state spending by about 1 to 2 percent, forcing the government to find new funds just as it tries to bring down a deficit totalling 6.7 percent of gross domestic product.

An expanded strike would add to worries about prospects for growth after the economy slowed more than expected in the second quarter of 2010 as mining contracted, while expansion in manufacturing was lower than before. [ID:nLDE67N0VV]

In Johannesburg’s Soweto township, where police have clashed with strikers trying to block entrance to a hospital, the anger was building at the government for not reaching a deal and at strikers who were denying services to the poor who rely on their help.

"We work for the government and we live in shacks," said one healthcare worker who only identified himself as Joseph. (Editing by Marius Bosch)

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s government and unions are facing increased pressure to end a nearly week-long state workers’ strike from a public angry at the mounting impact the stoppage has had on the poor.

The strike by about 1.3 million state workers including nurses, teachers and clerks, has shut schools, delayed treatment at hospitals and the delivery of other services to those who have no other alternative than seek government help.