Police fire rubber bullets at SA strikers

Police in South Africa have fired rubber bullets at striking public workers, on the second day of a work stoppage by more than a million civil servants. The incident happened Thursday in Soweto township, where a crowd had blocked a road outside a hospital and was preventing patients from entering. Police fire rubber bullets at SA strikers Police say they used both rubber bullets and water cannon to disperse the crowd. No major injuries were reported. Unions representing 1.3 million teachers, health care workers, and other civil servants went on strike Wednesday, demanding an 8.6 percent pay increase and a higher housing allowance. The South African government says its final offer is a 7 percent pay hike, and that it will begin paying the workers at that rate if no agreement is reached. The government's offer would also increase the housing allowance from $87 to $95 per month. Public Services Minister Richard Baloyi says that under the government's offer, other public services will have to be cut. Three years ago, public workers staged a crippling strike that shut down many schools and forced some hospitals to operate with minimal staff for several weeks. This latest strike puts pressure on South African President Jacob Zuma, who had strong backing from labor unions during his campaign for president.

Police fire rubber bullets at SA strikers

Police say they used both rubber bullets and water cannon to disperse the crowd. No major injuries were reported.

Unions representing 1.3 million teachers, health care workers, and other civil servants went on strike Wednesday, demanding an 8.6 percent pay increase and a higher housing allowance.

The South African government says its final offer is a 7 percent pay hike, and that it will begin paying the workers at that rate if no agreement is reached.

The government's offer would also increase the housing allowance from $87 to $95 per month.

Public Services Minister Richard Baloyi says that under the government's offer, other public services will have to be cut.

Three years ago, public workers staged a crippling strike that shut down many schools and forced some hospitals to operate with minimal staff for several weeks.

This latest strike puts pressure on South African President Jacob Zuma, who had strong backing from labor unions during his campaign for president.