Cosatu rejects 0% wage offer by govt, says ready to strike
Public sector unions affiliated to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) have rejected the 0% wage increase tabled by government during the public sector wage talks.
The offer follows a warning by Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu on Thursday that the state simply has no money to implement a wage increase for public servants.
The trade union federation’s Mugwena Maluleke says the government is intentionally undermining collective bargaining.
“The employer is hell-bent on a zero-increase approach to all our demands that require monetary increase and is adamantly pursuing salary freeze even when workers in the public service did not get any increase in 2020.
This posture characterises an uncaring and inconsiderate employer whose workers have discharged their responsibilities unselfishly, diligently and with humility in the public service throughout the difficult period of Covid-19.”
At the start of negotiations in March, unions demanded wage increases of inflation plus 4% for all workers in the 2021/22 fiscal year, as well as better housing payments and a risk allowance because of Covid-19. Annual inflation is currently around 3%.
Maluleke says the unions are ready to hit the streets.
“The willingness to provide no salary increase amid the growing economic hardship exacerbated by increasing prices on basic items like food, electricity and public transport is proof enough to back our claim that the employer is uncaring and insensitive.
“We strongly believe that our demands are reasonable, affordable, and achievable, and we are therefore committed to defend them in any form available to the workers.
“We are fully committed to this process of negotiations and we will only go back to the table should the employer come with a revised offer. We will be consulting with our members on the next possible step while we follow the set process in the PSCBC to resolve the impasse.”
Listen to Mugwena Maluleke below:
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