COSATU PUBLIC SERVICE UNIONS STATEMENT ON 2015/16 SALARY NEGOTIATIONS
20 May 2015
COSATU Public Service Unions sign collective agreements bringing to an end the 2015/2016 wage negotiations.
The seven COSATU Public Service Unions - SADTU, NEHAWU, POPCRU, DENOSA, SAMA, PAWUSA and SASAWU, yesterday signed some agreements in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC), bringing to an end, a long-drawn-out and tough negotiation process that lasted for eight months. This process also included highly successful one-day marches in the whole country with a national march in Pretoria on the 23rd of April 2015.
The 2015/16 public service negotiations also saw, for the first time in the history of democratic public service negotiations, the employer declaring a dispute on the 27th of March 2015. A conciliation process, led by two commissioners, commenced on the 10th of April 2015 and was concluded last night on the 19th of May 2015.
All COSATU unions agreed to sign the agreements. However, they subjected some of the draft agreements to the Council processes for amendment before signing within the 21 days provided by the PSCBC constitution.
The agreements signed include the following:
1. Improvement of conditions of service
Parties agreed that;
• Salary increase of 7% for 2015/2016; effected as of 1st April 2015; CPI plus 1% for 2016/17;CPI plus 1% for 2017/2018;
• Five working days leave per calendar year for employees with children with special needs;
•Three working days paternity leave per calendar year;
• 28,5% medical aid adjustment for employees on Government Employees Medical Scheme;
• Employer will develop a policy on the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL);
• Employer will conduct an investigation on the feasibility of providing a bursary scheme for the children of public service employees.
2. Framework on the Government Employees Housing Scheme (GEHS)
Parties agreed that;
• There shall be a Government Employees Housing Scheme;
• R1 200 housing allowance for all employees paying bonds and housing loans;
• R900.00 for employees without home loans and bonds with the remaining R300 saved in a savings facility which the employees will access once they obtain housing loans or bonds.
3. New danger allowance dispensation
Parties agreed that;
• Sectors will discuss those categories on which employees face danger in their daily working conditions. This will be elevated to the PSCBC for discussion and resolution.
4. Post retirement Benefits
Parties agreed that;
• The employer will investigate the feasibility of extending the post retirement medical subsidy to more than one dependent upon the retirement of an employee;
• The employer will investigate the feasibility of extending the housing allowance to cover retired employees.
It must be noted that in all our engagements with the employer in the negotiating table, we kept our members informed and they continued to give mandates, which we believe we tried our outmost best to carry out. We were also honest, respected the process, and conducted ourselves with integrity under very trying circumstances.
Although most of our demands were not met as per the initial mandate, we believe that these agreements will improve the lives of our members. We commit ourselves to monitor the implementation of these agreements.
Statement issued by Mugwena Maluleke, SADTU General Secretary on behalf of All COSATU Public Service Unions, May 21 2015
