News
JOHANNESBURG – Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) said it has withdrawn its participation at the Public Service Summit in Johannesburg.
The gathering, initiated by National Treasury and other government departments, is meant to set a roadmap for the public service wage bill, which the state is desperate to curtail.
However, the union – which represents over 150,000 public employees – said the summit was nothing but a perception management process by the employer.
Popcru has announced on Monday afternoon that it pulled out of the summit as Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Department of Public Service and Administration Minister Ayanda Dlodlo lead the talks at the summit that will take place until Wednesday.
The union said no tangible results would emanate from the meeting.
In a statement, the organisation explained that the summit was meant to create what it described as a false impression that relations between the employer and workers were good despite what it said was the continued victimisation of workers.
Last year, Popcru and Nehawu refused to sign the public service wage agreement in protest of the non-implementation of the last leg of the 2018 deal.
The government has since won the constitutional court case which was initiated by the unions to challenge this decision.
POPCRU said considering the issues around the 2018 deal and its general lack of faith in the employer, the summit would not improve the living conditions of public servants.
EWN
