THREAT OF SWAZI CIVIL SERVICE STRIKE

All public service unions in Swaziland are threatening strike action for a 4.5 percent pay increase.

This comes at a time when the Swazi Government is trying to reduce its public sector salary bill by 10 percent to try to save the kingdom’s economy from meltdown.

Several times in recent months the government struggled to meet its monthly wage bill and had to scuttle off to private companies to raise last minute loans for the payments.

Now, the four civil service unions in Swaziland have failed to agree wage increases with the government. The Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), the Swaziland Nurses Association (SNA), the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), and the Swaziland National Association of Government Accounts Professionals (SNAGAP) have collectively made it known that if they do not get the increase they will strike in the first week of April.

They will seek a mandate for the strike from their members at a date yet to be announced.