Unions threaten mass action over GEMS contribution increase

Unions have warned of nationwide mass action if the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) does not withdraw its planned 9.5% contribution increase. In a joint statement, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) unions said the increase would deepen the financial strain on public servants, many of whom are already struggling under a high cost of living. They argued that the hike effectively cancels out recent wage adjustments, leaving workers worse off.

The unions said GEMS had failed to respond to concerns raised by organised labour, including calls to reverse the 2026 increase, engage meaningfully with unions, and provide transparency on how the increases were determined. They also criticised the scheme for not taking into account the growing affordability crisis facing public sector employees. “Public servants have just received salary increases of 4%, but for many workers, that adjustment is not even visible in their pockets.

It has already been swallowed by the exorbitant GEMS increase,” the statement read. The warning comes amid broader economic pressure, with unions pointing to persistently high food and transport costs, rising electricity prices, and increasing household debt as factors compounding workers’ financial hardship. “If those efforts do not produce a meaningful outcome, organised labour is ready to mobilise for mass protest action that will bring the public service to a standstill,” the statement said. Cosatu provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize said the talks with GEMS were handled at the national level.