After rejecting another wage offer from the South African government, the South African Democratic Teachers' Union and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union announced that they would begin an indefinite strike this week. Spokesmen for the unions say that their members want an 8.6% pay increase and that they will not accept anything less. Other unions also involved in the bargaining process will give their answers today, and many do not accept them to agree to the offer either, saying that their members want a higher number. The two striking unions represent around 495,000 public workers.
See "South Africa Nurses, Teachers Snub Offer, Will Strike", Mike Cohen and Nasreen Seria, Business Week, August 16, 2010