Ministerial intervention is needed to end a deadlock in the Robben Island Museum strike, the National Health and Allied Workers' Union said on Wednesday.
Management at the museum had shown an "astonishing level of impudence" by refusing to accede to the revised demands of the workers, union Western Cape secretary Luthando Nogcinisa said.
"We want to reiterate our position that we are reluctant participants in this strike and we are prepared to sit down with management and listen to their new offer," he told reporters in Cape Town.
"We are calling on the Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile to also intervene and instruct the management to engage with the union and resolve the dispute."
The revised demands of the workers on the island included a wage demand of R2000, down from R3500, and the shutting down of operations from 25 December to 2 January each year to allow the workers time to be with their families.
"The alternative demand is to allow employees considerable time off during this period," Nogcinisa said.
He said protesting workers were "unnecessarily provoked" by the island museum's chief executive, Sibongiseni Mkhize who had asked the police to remove workers from where they were peacefully protesting.
"These workers were violently manhandled by the police at the insistence of the CEO," Nogcinisa claimed.
"This is a perfectly legal strike and the behaviour of the police is disgraceful because they are expected to be neutral in these situations and not take sides."
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