Staff at the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha have gone on strike for better salaries and medical aid contributions.
Protest action started last week and the workers, who are members of the National Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), vowed to continue until their demands were met.
Nehawu shop steward at the museum, Ncediwe Ndima, said the protest was peaceful and they were not intimidating visitors.
“We are only 14 workers and all that we want is a 10% salary increase. We find it unbelievable that this same institution can’t pay the increase we demand,” said Ndima.
Ndima told the Daily Dispatch that they started their salary and medical aid negotiations with the museum in January this year.
She said they initially demanded an increase of 12% but they ended up asking for 7%, but the museum management allegedly failed to respond to them.
On Friday and then again yesterday, staff members carried placards outside the newly refurbished Bhunga building in Mthatha.
They also accused the museum management of “favouritism” as one of their placards reads.
According to Ndima, medical aid contribution was “another thorny” issue.
She said the contribution remained R1400 for all staff, despite increasing costs.
“We demand that they increase this money as this is not enough, things are expensive,” said Ndima.
She claimed that 11 managers earned a combined salary of R6.6-million a year while 14 general staff were earning a combined R1.9-million salary a year.
Museum spokeswoman Nokuzola Tetani said: “The museum operates on a budget approved by the national Treasury as part of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).”
Nehawu said they would continue protesting until their demands were met. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Museum staff take a stand for a better wage
Protest action started last week and the workers, who are members of the National Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu), vowed to continue until their demands were met.
Nehawu shop steward at the museum, Ncediwe Ndima, said the protest was peaceful and they were not intimidating visitors.
“We are only 14 workers and all that we want is a 10% salary increase. We find it unbelievable that this same institution can’t pay the increase we demand,” said Ndima.
Ndima told the Daily Dispatch that they started their salary and medical aid negotiations with the museum in January this year.
She said they initially demanded an increase of 12% but they ended up asking for 7%, but the museum management allegedly failed to respond to them.
On Friday and then again yesterday, staff members carried placards outside the newly refurbished Bhunga building in Mthatha.
They also accused the museum management of “favouritism” as one of their placards reads.
According to Ndima, medical aid contribution was “another thorny” issue.
She said the contribution remained R1400 for all staff, despite increasing costs.
“We demand that they increase this money as this is not enough, things are expensive,” said Ndima.
She claimed that 11 managers earned a combined salary of R6.6-million a year while 14 general staff were earning a combined R1.9-million salary a year.
Museum spokeswoman Nokuzola Tetani said: “The museum operates on a budget approved by the national Treasury as part of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).”
Nehawu said they would continue protesting until their demands were met. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos