AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - “The dignity of workers must be respected but the right to strike should not endanger lives” say Catholic Bishops in South Africa where the public servants strike is causing a deteriorating situation effecting especially school children and hospital patients

Wednesday, 13 June 2007

Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides)- The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has expressed concern at the deteriorating situation of the public servants strike. In a SACBC statement sent to Fides the Bishops write “Our constitution upholds the democratic right to strike, but only as a last resort, when all avenues of negotiation have been exhausted. The fact that there were eight months of negotiation before the strike began in June 1st begs the question whether these negotiations were done in good faith?” The statement is signed by SACBC President Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg.
“Public servants are a vital element in the running of any State and should be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. In this regard, the debate around large salary increases at the level of Parliament and the Executive and refusing to pay a just salary at other levels of the State does pose a serious moral problem” the Bishops say. At the same time they denounce “increasing levels of intimidation being reported daily in our schools and hospitals”. Episodes which, the Bishops say “are very worrying to us as Church. Preventing children going to school and abandoning sick patients can never be condoned.”
“We therefore call for the strike to be carried out in a lawful manner - the statement reads - Those bent on harassing and intimidating non-strikers should desist from their bullying tactics. Some people lost their lives during the security service strike and bus strike and this is morally reprehensible. The right to strike should not endanger lives, particularly in our hospitals where an adequate staff must be present at all times”.
The Bishops end the message urging “all stakeholders to return to the negotiating table and find a speedy compromise and a way forward ”.
Several private schools have had to close because of intimidation. The public servants' strike, the worst since 1994, has immobilised the whole country: municipal and private services workers stopped work in solidarity with public servants. Consequently law courts and public transport cannot function, refuse is not collected, hospitals refuse new patients and cannot guarantee patients adequate treatment. The strikers want an increase in salary. The government offered a 7.25% increase where as the unions which first of all demanded 12%, have now agreed on 10%. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/6/2007 righe 38 parole 462)


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