{"id":28297,"date":"2026-03-10T18:51:33","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T16:51:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/?post_type=news&#038;p=28297"},"modified":"2026-03-10T18:51:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T16:51:33","slug":"trade-unions-demand-reversal-of-gems-premium-hike-as-workers-protest-unjustifiable-increase","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/news\/trade-unions-demand-reversal-of-gems-premium-hike-as-workers-protest-unjustifiable-increase\/","title":{"rendered":"Trade unions demand reversal of GEMS premium hike as workers protest \u2018unjustifiable\u2019 increase"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Trade union federations, including the Federation of Unions of SA, are now preparing for urgent talks with the scheme in a bid to halt further demonstrations and push for an overhaul of its contribution structure.<\/div>\n<div data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\"><\/div>\n<div data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Speaking to Channel Africa on Tuesday, FEDUSA General Secretary Riefdah Ajam described the increase as \u201cregressive\u201d, \u201cunjustifiable\u201d and a betrayal of GEMS\u2019s founding purpose. \u201cOver a two\u2011year period, the scheme has experienced an increase of more than 23%. Workers do not receive increases of that magnitude. It is catastrophic,\u201d she said.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Ajam warned that the impact on public servants, especially those in lower income bands, is severe. \u201cWhen collective bargaining delivers a 4.4% wage rise, and medical increases reach nearly 10% this year after 13.4% last year, how do you expect members to live a dignified life?\u201d she said. \u201cThis is crippling them.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>She said the core problem lies in both affordability and the complete lack of consultation with organised labour. Unions say GEMS informed members of the increase only a day before implementation. \u201cThis is not consultation. It weakens collective bargaining and defies every principle of engagement,\u201d Ajam said.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>She added that the increase contradicts recommendations from the Council for Medical Schemes and undermines GEMS\u2019s original mandate as a social\u2011solidarity instrument created to ensure affordable access to healthcare for public servants. \u201cGEMS was never intended to operate like a commercial enterprise,\u201d she said.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Ajam also criticised GEMS for what unions describe as excessive governance costs. \u201cHow do you justify holding more than 28 meetings in one financial year at a cost of over $680 000, enriching board members while crippling workers with double\u2011digit increases?\u201d she said. \u201cThis is thuggery at the worst levels.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Asked about alternatives, Ajam said unions are examining market comparisons but emphasised that the priority is compelling GEMS to return to its founding principles. \u201cWe need constructive, honest engagement. Workers cannot be pushed into destitution,\u201d she said.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>&#8211;ChannelAfrica&#8211;<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":28298,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[44],"class_list":["post-28297","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-finance","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"South Africa\u2019s (SA) major public\u2011sector unions say workers are \u201cunited and outraged\u201d over the 9.5% premium increase introduced by the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), prompting days of protests and marches outside GEMS offices nationwide.\u00a0","published_date":"","news_description":"South Africa\u2019s (SA) major public\u2011sector unions say workers are \u201cunited and outraged\u201d over the 9.5% premium increase introduced by the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), prompting days of protests and marches outside GEMS offices nationwide.\u00a0","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/28297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/28297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28299,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/28297\/revisions\/28299"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=28297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}