A GAME of numbers has erupted between trade union Nehawu and a network of private hospitals over bargaining powers amid the ongoing strike by workers affiliated to the union.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union claims to have the majority of the workforce at Netcare Group hospitals, and should enjoy the upper hand at the negotiations table.

This comes after Nehawu members embarked on a countrywide strike on Monday at Netcare hospitals demanding an 11% wage hike.

Nehawu spokesman Sizwe Pamla said they were the biggest trade union at Netcare, but that the group undermined their majority status. "We have about 3048 members employed by Netcare. We are the biggest union there," Pamla said.

But Netcare is adamant that only 1153 or 5.7% employees of Netcare's 20500 workforce are Nehawu members.

Netcare's public relations management company, Martina Nicholson Associates, said the figure provided by Nehawu was "all lies".

Netcare issued a statement yesterday saying it had agreed with trade unions Solidarity, Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa, and the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa "to among other conditions, a 7.2% across-the-board annual salary increase for administrative, nursing and support employees in the hospital division.

Nehawu is the lone voice calling for an 11% wage hike".

A Netcare Rosebank Hospital shop steward, Thabo Moloi, said: "Nehawu members are at 21 Netcare hospitals throughout the country, whereas the other guys [unions] are only in 12 hospitals combined."

At Netcare Rand Hospital, Nehawu shop steward Mzwelo Dlamhlola said: "The strike is ongoing until [our] demands are met."