Public sector unions have criticised the Government Employees Medical Scheme after it failed to secure approval for a lower increase in member contributions. GEMS asked the Council for Medical Schemes to reduce its average increase to 7.5% from July 2026. However, the regulator rejected the proposal. The decision means members will continue paying contributions based on the approved average increase…
Tag: Public Servants Association
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Gems Premium Hike: Unions Demand Single Digits
South Africa’s largest medical scheme for public servants, Gems, is facing mounting pressure from unions. They want to limit its 2026 premium increase to single digits. This follows a controversial 13.4% hike this year. Following several years of modest increases, the double-digit rise for 2025 drew strong opposition from public sector unions. These include the Public Servants Association (PSA) and…
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Union Vows Protests as 150 KZN Doctors Remain Jobless
The Public Servants Association (PSA) has pledged to intensify protest action. This will continue until the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health absorbs every qualified but unemployed doctor into the provincial system. This highlights a growing crisis that leaves critical posts vacant while medical professionals are without work. The influential union is backing more than 150 doctors. These doctors, after completing their…