2007 South African public servants' strike
Encyclopedia
The 2007 South Africa
n public servants' strike was a general strike
of workers in the public sector of South Africa. It was led by the Congress of South African Trade Unions
(COSATU), which is currently in a labour/political alliance with the governing African National Congress
(ANC) party of Thabo Mbeki
(since succeeded by Jacob Zuma
).
s to raise the pay for civil servants by no less than 12%. The government offered a 7.25% pay raise, which the trade unions refused to accept.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n public servants' strike was a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
of workers in the public sector of South Africa. It was led by the Congress of South African Trade Unions
Congress of South African Trade Unions
The Congress of South African Trade Unions is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the biggest of the country’s three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions, altogether organising 1.8 million workers.-Establishment:COSATU was established in...
(COSATU), which is currently in a labour/political alliance with the governing African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
(ANC) party of Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
(since succeeded by Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
).
Dispute
The strike arose out of demands by South Africa's trade unionTrade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s to raise the pay for civil servants by no less than 12%. The government offered a 7.25% pay raise, which the trade unions refused to accept.