Doctors not happy with the negotiations (Bush Radio News)

The South African Medical Association is adamant that the government should go back to the drawing board about doctor’s salaries. The Association says last week’s offer by the state is far from what the doctor’s asked for. The Association which represents six thousand public-sector doctors, had handed government‘s offer to it’s consultants and union for ‘clarity’’. The Association did not give details of the offer. The state doctors are believed to be demanding a salary increase of about 50% percent, but the government negotiators have table offers of between naught-point 28 percent and five percent.

Doctors, state haggle over pay (The Times)

The SA Medical Association is adamant that the government should “go back to the drawing board” about doctors’ salaries.

The two sides will meet again next week.

Medical association spokesman Professor Mkhululi Lukhele said last week’s offer by the state was “far from what the doctors asked for”.

Lukhele said the association, which represents 6,000 public-sector doctors, had handed the government’s offer to its consultants and unions for “clarity”. He would not give details of the offer.

The state doctors are believed to be demanding a salary increase of about 50 percent, whereas the government negotiators have tabled offers of between 0.28 percent and 5 percent.

Neither the health department nor the association would confirm these figures.

“We will be going back to our members with what the government has proposed to get a mandate from them before talks resume on Monday,” Lukhele said.

“If what is put forward on Monday does not meet our expectations, it is going to become an uncomfortable situation. Doctors are already angry and we have been fair and patient.

“We hope we will not be forced to take action.”

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