Dr Shadrack Moephuli, CEO of the ARC, could not be reached for comment by time of being published.
However, in a letter to ARC members, CEO and President Shadrack Moephuli said that the centre had engaged with its labour unions, namely Solidarity and NEHAWU, on proposed wage and salary increases.
“Solidarity advised their members [had] accepted the average salary increase of 6%. NEHAWU rejected the offer,” Moephuli said in the letter.
Inge Labuschagne, organiser for Solidarity in the professional industry, told Farmer’s Weekly that Solidarity’s mandate from its members was to accept the 6% average increase, as offered by the ARC, as an affordable salary increase.
“We are not in dispute with the ARC and our members feel their work is important and will report to work as normal. The ARC has the option to lock NEHAWU members from the premises, but will not do so with our members,” Labuschagne said.
NEHAWU would deliver a strike notice to the ARC on 10 July. The union could not be reached for comment by time of being published.
Moephuli also said in the statement that there would be no work or pay once the strike was declared, and members could not apply for leave during this period.
