PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma can answer questions in Parliament on Thursday without fear of disruption now that a strike by parliamentary staff has been suspended. On Tuesday, the strike by the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) in Parliament was suspended until Friday.
Secretary to Parliament Gengezi Mgidlana said Parliament’s management had agreed to pay a performance bonus calculated according to an agreement signed earlier this year.
Parliamentary staff members had demanded performance bonuses be calculated against their total cost of employment, as opposed to monthly salaries.
They also want previous agreements for a 9% across-the-board salary increase implemented, long-serving staff recognised and an about-turn on Parliament’s vetting system.
Mr Mgidlana said staff members would be back at work on Wednesday and would have to clear the backlog caused by the wildcat strike without overtime being paid. When staff embarked on the strike Parliament adopted a “no work, no pay approach”.
Nehawu’s Zola Saphetha said a team comprising Parliament’s management and union leadership would report to union members on Friday.