Eskom pay talks with unions have been referred to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration after reaching a deadlock, the parastatal said on Monday.<\/p>\n
“Eskom has declared a dispute which has been referred to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration after wage talks reached a deadlock, with no movement from the union side,” spokeswoman Hilary Joffe said.<\/p>\n
“Eskom had raised its offer to 5.6 percent, which is the percentage which the National Energy Regulator allowed us in terms of its recent tariff determination.”<\/p>\n
Joffe said Eskom employees were represented by Solidarity, National Union of Mineworkers and National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).<\/p>\n
Wage negotiations began in May.<\/p>\n
“Eskom is deemed to be an essential service and, in the absence of a minimum service agreement, there is therefore no right to protected (legal) strikes.<\/p>\n
“If the dispute cannot be resolved through mediation, it will therefore have to go to compulsory arbitration,” she said.<\/p>\n
Joffe said if workers embark on an unprotected strike employees involved open themselves to potential disciplinary action.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Monday, Numsa said the pay talks reached a deadlock.<\/p>\n
“We have deferred the matter to a mediation process with a hope and understanding that Eskom will abandon its bullying strategy, and start negotiating in good faith,” Numsa said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“This process will also inform and guide the next course of action the union should pursue in order to force Eskom to concede to workers’ demands.”<\/p>\n
Numsa rejected the 5.6 percent offered by Eskom and said it was a “spit in the face”.<\/p>\n
Initially Numsa demanded a 20 percent wage increase.<\/p>\n
Numsa wanted a R3000 increase across the board, a R5000 housing allowance, a one-year collective bargaining agreement, a total ban on labour brokers, and an 80 percent contribution from Eskom towards medical aid.<\/p>\n
Numsa’s national sector co-ordinator for basic metals and energy Stephen Nhlapo said: “The rejection of our collective bargaining demand is an underhand tactic and punishment to the union for waging a successful campaign opposing Eskom’s ridiculous application for increased electricity tariffs.”<\/p>\n
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