I observed a number of things on my visits to strike-hit hospitals. Firstly, those with the worst reputations had the highest worker stay away. Nurses who were notorious for poor care at Natalspruit Hospital found it easy to abandon babies who would have died if not sent to a private hospital. They certainly don't deserve any increase and should be fired. And where was the caring ethos of those who barred gates and prevented sick patients from entering? Or those who invaded a surgery at the Tambo Memorial Hospital while an operation was in progress? Criminal charges should be laid against them.
At the better hospitals, most nurses tried to attend, but intimidation was fierce. Everybody was dressed in normal clothes, and feared being attacked outside.
It doesn't take much for even a small group of people to intimidate effectively. As the CEO of Chris Hani Baragwanath pointed out to me, the hospital has 6900 staff, but there were only about 200 demonstrators at the entrance. Some of these were striking teachers.
We would have been in real trouble if security was on strike as well, but fortunately this is outsourced to private companies. If cleaners, porters and catering were also outsourced, as at the Chief Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban, the strike effect would have been very limited.
The lunacy of this strike is that it affected so many highly divergent sectors seeking a one-size-fits-all wage increase. Hardly any thought was given to productivity deals or performance-related increments.
Home affairs officials, customs clerks, doctors, nurses, teachers, support staff - all were lumped together. There should be different bargaining chambers for different sectors.