150 000 workers stop work - but wouldn't you if you were earning R3250?

SHOOT: A wage of R3250 is hardly enough to cover rent and utilities, never mind food for a single person. Could you survive on R3250? But the money has to come from somewhere, and in a recession, that's going to be difficult. Plenty of gnashing of teeth is in store.

clipped from www.sowetan.co.za Municipal services will grind to a halt across South Africa today when about 150000 unionised workers strike for hefty salary increases and generous housing allowances. The South African Municipal Workers Union and Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union say they will take all their members out on the streets from today to press their demands for more than R10billion a year in benefits. Samwu is demanding a minimum wage of R5000 a month, an across-the-board wage increase of R2500 a month or 15percent, whichever is greater, and 70percent of housing bonds up to R200000 or R3000 a month in rental assistance. He said municipalities’ current wage bill was R36billion a year, excluding the “ridiculous” demands such as housing allowances. “The minimum salary in municipalities is R3250. Our offer of 11,5percent will not only increase wages but also medical aid and pensions,” he said.