Robben Island Museum strikers appeal to tourists

The workers, who are members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), are demanding a R2000 wage increase, and the management is offering 6%.

The museum cancelled trips after the strike by the workers turned ugly last weekend.

The strikers, who downed tools on October 26, invaded the embarkment area at the Nelson Mandela Gateway and got onto the ferry.

Police were called after the strikers became violent and unruly.

Speaking to Sowetan on Saturday, Nehawu provincial secretary Luthando Nogcinisa said: "We have distributed pamphlets to inform tourists about the importance of the strike. We told them they should boycott the tours to the Robben Island Museum until our demands are met."

Last week, Nehawu called on the museum council and Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile to intervene in their wage dispute.

Nogcinisa said the museum council told Nehawu it would not intervene in the dispute as negotiating with the union was the prerogative of the museum's chief executive officer Sibongiseni Mkhize.

"The council also told us that the museum management had reported to it that there was no impasse in the negotiation process," Nogcinisa said.

Commenting on the "no work, no pay policy" to be applied by the management, Nogcinisa said: "Our members are determined to continue with their strike until their demands are met."

Nehawu officials met management last Thursday in a bid to reach a wage agreement.

The management tabled an increase of R300 to the medical aid allowance, but this was rejected.

Nogcinisa said: "It was part of our wage settlement of 2010/2011."

Although Nehawu had an "opendoor policy", the union was only prepared to engage with the management if it would propose a new offer or revise its original offer.

Mkhize has confirmed that the museum council and Mashatile had received correspondence.