SAOU rejects wage offer

27 July 2010 - 07:13
By Sapa

SAOU is the latest union to rejects the state's 6.5 percent wage increase.

Teacher union SAOU yesterday became the latest union to reject the state's 6.5 percent pay increase.

"The latest offer does not address the primary demand of the general salary adjustment as it still remains on 6.5 percent, said Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie in a statement.

SAOU demanded an 8.6 percent salary increment and R1000 housing allowance.

The union's standing committee resolved not to take a final decision at this stage regarding the nature and extent of the industrial action until it ensured the strike had maximum impact, and that would only be possible if all unions co-operate.

"In this regard it is expected that a discussion must take place between the principals of the five teacher unions with the aim to co-ordinate actions."

Also, there was still hope that government would "come to its senses" and place a reasonable offer on the table, it said.

"The SAOU truly regrets the inability of [government] as the employer to identify the implications of the looming labour unrest, to quantify the price thereof, and to place an offer on the table that can be seriously considered."

If the present offer was compared with the salary agreements that were concluded in respect of Sars (eight percent), Transnet (11 percent), Salga (13 percent) and Eskom (nine percent and R1500 monthly housing allowance), the unreasonableness was evident for all, SAOU said.

Meanwhile, Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi on Monday called on the Public Servants Association (PSA) to defer their industrial action planned for Thursday and Friday.

In a letter to the PSA leadership, Baloyi said he had arranged a forum for engagement between himself and the leaders of the unions on Thursday.

He asked the PSA to postpone their intended action until that meeting was held.

Representatives of public sector unions affiliated to the Congress of SA Trade Unions were still finalising their decision on whether to join a nation-wide pay strike, a Cosatu spokesman said on Monday.

They planned to meet on Tuesday to consolidate the complicated process of gathering feedback, better known as mandates, from all their public service union affiliates, said Mugwena Maluleka.

The Cosatu unions represent 56 percent of the unionised employees in the public service.

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