I didn't want this blog to read like a diary but the general strike in South Africa is dominating everything at the moment. Mostly it has been a saddening experience but in some ways also quite interesting.
It is sad because of the impact it is having on peoples lives. Patients are afraid to come to hospital and nurses are afraid to go to work. One simple example is a woman who badly broke and dislocated her elbow five days ago. She tried twice to come to hospital but was chased away by militant strikers and finally she made it in yesterday. Normally she would be sent on to a larger hospital but that is completely out of action so she has to wait even longer. Basically somewhere in the country some people have died who would have survived if it were not for the strike.
It is little better for the staff, yesterday the nurses at one of our local clinics were beaten by strikers until they left their posts. It's not to say that many people don't support the strike because they do, they are asking for a 12% pay increase and they deserve it, but hopefully it will be resolved soon.
As for the interesting side, one of the South African doctors pointed out that militant strikes are actually a spill over from the Aparteid era. At that time the unions were one of the few places that black people had power. People didn't want to strike because if they did they were often fired and replaced with other people who needed the work. For that reason the unions used to use force to make sure people came out on strike.
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1 comment:
See, you now have 2 readers!
Actually I've been reading with interest since you left but by limited PC skills mean that I have only today worked out how to create a post. In truth my secretary helped me - pathetic.
Anyway, the last post sounded as though things weren't too easy on the work front, I hope the strike finishes (already?) and that you get to enjoy it there. Girls send their love.
John
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