POLITICS

Unions accept wage offer but don't want workers disciplined - Eskom

SOE says it could not acceded to this condition, as a result agreement was not signed

Eskom gives update on wage negotiations

Wednesday, 08 August 2018: Eskom and the labour unions met again today under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), where the unions were expected to provide feedback on whether or not their members accepted Eskom’s latest wage offer.

Last week Eskom tabled substantive terms of a draft settlement offer as follows:

- a three-year agreement on wages and conditions of employment for all employees in the bargaining unit (T04 to T13)

- salary adjustments of 7.5 in 2018/19 and 7% in 2019/20 and 7% in 2020/21 for all bargaining unit employees

- cost of living (CPI) adjustments annually to the housing allowance of all bargaining unit employees

- a once-off cash payment of R10,000 after tax to be paid to each employee in the bargaining unit in the August pay run as part of the wage settlement.

“The trade unions have accepted the Eskom offer and the parties were due to sign the Wage Agreement today, however, they have put a condition that their members who participated in an illegal strike action should not face disciplinary action. Eskom could not accede to this pre condition,” said Eskom Group Executive for Human Resources Elsie Pule.

The trade unions have subsequently requested for a meeting with the Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and the Eskom Board. The CCMA has requested Eskom to allow the meeting to take place.

“We await an invitation from the CCMA and we remain committed to resolving the impasse on disciplinary action possibly early next week,” Pule said.

Statement issued by Eskom, 8 August 2018