Unions Strike for Wage Increase in South Africa

(10 Aug 10 - RV) South Africa public sector unions representing more than 1 million workers staged a one-day strike today, affecting everything from schools to public offices to immigration centres. 

Essential services such as police and hospitals were run only on a skeleton staff.

The workers are demanding an 8.6 percent pay hike and a 1,000 rand monthly housing allowance.

The government is offering only a 7 percent  pay rise and 630 rand for housing.

The unions say they will launch a prolonged mass strike if the government does not meet their wage raise demands by Thursday.
Charles Collins spoke with Günther Simmermacher, the editor of South Africa’s largest catholic newspaper, The Southern Cross.

Speaking from Cape Town, he says the strike is having an impact on everyone in the country: