The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) on Tuesday accepted the latest wage offer tabled by the South African Revenue Services (Sars), bringing an end to the nationwide strike that crippled the revenue service.
This after the Public Servants Association (PSA), the majority union at Sars, on Monday reached an eight percent wage agreement following lengthy and after-hour negotiations, picketing and demonstrations by employees.
The wage agreement will see Sars employees receiving a salary increase of eight percent, effective from 1 April 2019.
The multi-term agreement also includes an increase in the long-service award amount, and the introduction of eight days prenatal and vaccination leave.
Khaya Xaba, Nehawu national spokesperson, confirmed in a telephonic interview that the union's officials have agreed to the offer by Sars, but said the union's members were not happy with the tenure of the agreement.
Xaba said that a single term agreement would have been more suitable for their members under the current economic conditions.
"We are still going to consult our members and weigh our options as to what we can do to negotiate a better agreement in terms of this three years. But our members have accepted the deal and will be going back to work," Xaba said.
"In this regard, we shall continue to monitor its implementation and where necessary the union shall consider all possibilities to reopen the negotiations. We will continue to fight for the resolution of the outstanding issues which include the finalisation of pay progression policy, and others."
Last week, at least 9 000 workers at Sars embarked on a legal strike, demanding 11.4 percent salary increases while Sars was only prepared to pay seven percent. The strike crippled Sars services as the revenue collector had to close down 33 of its 53 branches across the country.