Strike threat to feeding time at Pretoria Zoo

A strike that could affect the animals at Pretoria Zoo is looming after workers deadlocked with management over a dispute on overtime payment.

More than 120 workers affiliated to the National Trade Union Congress want to be paid overtime for working on weekends, something that management has said is not feasible.

NTUC was awarded a CCMA strike certificate yesterday.

Union secretary Sophoniah Machaba said their dispute was with a 2009 agreement the zoo signed with other labour unions allowing double pay for Sundays and time and a half for Saturdays.

"We want our members to be paid double on Sunday, like other workers," he said.

Machaba said workers will shut the gates of the zoo from Thursday and no one will be allowed in until their grievances are addressed.

Pretoria Zoo spokesman Craig Allenby said management was doing everything in its power to avert a strike, saying managers met NTUC leadership yesterday to explain that their demands were not practical.

"Workers are paid double on Sundays, but we cannot extend overtime to Saturday. We are a nonprofit organisation," he said.