Labour Court Interdicts NEHAWU Strike Over Wage Dispute

The Labour Court ordered National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) members to end their strike immediately.

The Department of Health welcomed the judgment, noting that it will bring some form of stability to health facilities across the country, SA News reported.

The Department of Health said after the court's judgment that this is a ''victory for the innocent, vulnerable and un-unionized patients who have suffered the consequences of the disruptive and violent strike action."

The department added, "We also believe Nehawu will implement the judgment and inform its members to return to work as soon as possible."

The judgment was given after NEHAWU called for a strike on March 6 over a wage dispute but on Sunday, the trade union announced that they will intensify their strike.

During the negotiation, NEHAWU was offered a 3% increment and later, they were offered 4.7% while the demand was 10%, considering the inflation rate.

As per the court's order on Monday, the trade union has been asked to return to work. Moreover, all the members and employees are asked to prevent themselves from participating in any such strikes.

The court order stated, "The strike action, picket, or any other form of industrial action by Nehawu, its members and employees who are employed in an essential service is interdicted with immediate effect and Nehawu and all such essential service employees are restrained and prevented from continuing with or participating in any such strike, picket or any other form of industrial action," Daily Maverick reported.

According to NEHAWU, the strike was fueled by the "continuous implementation of austerity measures and the aggressive attack on collective bargaining by the government."

Minister of Health of South Africa, Joe Phaahla shared on Monday that there are four people, who lost their lives because of the protest as some hospitals were shut, News24 reported. According to some patients, they were not given meals or their medications during the strike.

In some hospitals, the protesters shut the door of the health facility's main door with burning tires and stopped patients and families from entering. A video of the same was circulated on social media last week:

"There is no doubt that the strike has disrupted provision of essential healthcare services in the country, leading to untold suffering and frustrations amongst the public who desperately needed healthcare and life-saving treatment and other interventions in the public health facilities," Phaahla said following the judgment.

Phaahla addressed the leaders of the trade union, pointing out that there has already been enough suffering, pain and frustrations in South Africa and appealed to bring this to an end.

"The door is open; the Public Service [Coordinating] Bargaining Council is proceeding. That's a legally available forum through which all the issues which remain to be discussed should be ventilated," Phaahla added.