Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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June 7, 2007

Strike by S. African Public Workers Poised to Spread to Private Sector
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=17BF299:A6F02AD83191E160E3CA6C3956CC74339574F7DCC14957C0 Call by powerful
COSATU confederation would extend work stoppage to important sectors
such as mining and manufacturing In South Africa, more than 1 million
workers in the private sector have been told to prepare to strike next
week Wednesday in sympathy with striking public servants. The call by
the powerful COSATU confederation would extend the work stoppage to
important sectors of the economy such as mining and manufacturing.
VOA's Scott Bobb reports from Johannesburg.







South African civil servants protest outside Tygerberg hospital during
the first day of a national public service strike in Cape Town, South
Africa, 1 June 2007The secretary general of the Congress of South
African Trade Unions, Zwelazima Vavi, said COSATU was calling its
private sector members to strike next Wednesday. He said it was to
show support for several hundred thousand teachers, health and
government workers in the public sector whose work stoppage is
affecting all workers.

"The children of the workers are unable to go to school and the
workers are being inconvenienced in all other public institutions," he
said.  "And therefore, it is in the best interests of the health of
the workers in the private sector to get a solution to this. They want
to play a role."

COSATU says it has 1.8 million members.  It groups 21 unions,
including the public servant unions currently on strike and powerful
unions in the important mining and manufacturing sectors.

However, some of some COSATU members in essential services such as law
enforcement are forbidden by law from striking.

Unions representing public servants went on strike last Friday
demanding a 12 percent wage increase. They have rejected the
government's offer of a 6.5 percent increase.

The unions say they will expand the strike to the entire public
service beginning Friday, when the two sides are to hold another round
of negotiations.

The strike has shut many public schools and crippled operations at
public hospitals and government offices around the country.  Members
of the military have been called in to help in some hospitals.

Some incidents of intimidation have been reported but the strike for
the most part has been orderly.

COSATU is a political ally of the governing African National Congress
but it has criticized the South African government for ignoring the
needs of workers and the poor in favor of business.