More than 700,000 public service workers across South Africa were on strike on Thursday in protest against the government's uncompromising stance in a marathon wage negotiation, making it the biggest industrial action in the country's history.

And trade unions warned the action has not yet been over even after declaring the one-day strike "a great success."

Over 700,000 teachers, nurses, municipal workers, prison warders and immigration officials joined in the strike, among whom 200,000 took part in 24 marches across the country, according to the South African Democratic Teachers Union.

In streets and on squares of major cities including Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban, protesters held placards and posters while chanting slogans under close observation of the police, showed the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) evening news.

Though the police union is part of the strike action, the majority of the police was barred from attending the activities.

Most South African parents kept their children at home on Thursday, leaving many schools in major centers either closed, virtually deserted or operating on skeleton staff, showed the SABC news.

The government and unions have agreed to hold an urgent meeting on Friday, making continuous efforts to resolve the pay dispute arising since February.

The unions want a 7 percent wage raise while the government is offering a total package of 28 billion rand (US$4.31 billion ) over three years, which includes a 6 percent salary increase, plus housing and medical aid subsidies worth 3.9 billion rand (US$600 million) and 2.8 billion rand (US$431 million ) over the next four and three years respectively.

With both sides unwilling to compromise, the marathon talks entered into a deadlock this week and the last-ditch efforts failed on Wednesday night.

Despite the meeting on Friday, Congress of South African Trade Unions secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi called on the supporters of at least eight public sector trade unions to support further action and stay home on Monday and Tuesday.

He was quoted by the South African Press Association as saying that if the government did not offer a "decent solution" for teachers ahead of the coming end of year exams, matric candidates would "unfortunately be caught in the cross-fire."

Meanwhile, Public Service and Administration spokesman Madoda Mxake said on Thursday that the government has not changed its position.

The unions were hoping the government would come to the meeting with a new proposal. "However, they haven't indicated as such yet," said Fikile Majola, general secretary of the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union.

Mxake insisted that a three-point proposal was still the government's standpoint, which was, however, rejected by the unions before the strike.

(Xinhua News Agency September 17, 2004)