Labourstart has launched an international campaign in support of striking public servants in Swaziland.
Public workers in Swaziland have been on strike since 21 June.
They are demanding a pay rise of 4.5 per cent, well below the rate of
inflation in Swaziland and a mere fraction of the 30 per cent pay rise that
Swaziland’s parliamentarians have awarded themselves.
The strikers have been met by dismissals, riot police and armed forces’
intimidation and beatings, tear gas and rubber bullets. On 12 July, peacefully
protesting public sector trade union members were fired upon by police –
resulting in hospitalisation and injuries of at least 12 persons, some who were
members of the Swaziland National Association of Civil Servants (SNACS) and the
Swaziland Nurses Association (SNA).
Since 1 August, the government has also fired hundreds of teachers across the
country, including the entire executive of the Swaziland National Association of
Teachers (SNAT). On 3 August,
the Industrial Court of Swaziland found that those dismissals were unlawful and
requested the government to withdraw the letters of dismissal issued to the
teachers.
The ITF has also expressed strong concerns at the arrest and detention of
Bazel Tfwala, legal officer of the Swaziland Transport and Allied Workers’ Union
(STAWU). Simanga Shongwe, General Secretary of STAWU was also detained whilst
protesting Tfwala's arrest.
Join us in condemning the governmental crackdown on Swazi public workers by
sending a message to Mswati III, King of Swaziland, urging him to meet the
legitimate demands of public servants; and to ensure the immediate and
unconditional reinstatement of dismissed public service workers and teachers.
