Eskom declares a dispute with trade unions
15 August 2018
Eskom has today declared a dispute with trade unions National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), The National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA) and Solidarity over the precondition that NUM and NUMSA introduced as part of the wage negotiations.
Last week at a meeting convened through the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)(Section 150) the three recognised trade unions all in principle agreed to Eskom’s three-year wage proposal and conditions of employment where bargaining unit employees would see a salary adjustment of 7.5% in 2018/19 and 7% in 2019/20 and 7% in 2020/21, an annual cost of living (CPI) adjustment to their housing allowance as well as a once-off cash payment of R10 000.
However, at the time NUM and NUMSA introduced a precondition that Eskom should not discipline employees who took part in the July/August unprotected strike. Eskom could not agree to this precondition.
In June 2018, NUM and NUMSA defied the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and its essential service provisions and embarked on unprocedural, and therefore unlawful and unprotected, strike action. This strike action included various acts of criminality, including alleged acts of sabotage and destruction of property. The industrial action led to the power system being constrained and rotational loadshedding for three days, negatively impacting the economy.