Deadlocked Eskom wage talks ‘won’t impact power supply’
Trade union Solidarity has moved to assure South Africans that the deadlocked wage negotiations between Eskom and unions won’t have any impact on the country’s electricity supply.
The second round of negotiations wrapped up on Friday with Eskom offering a 3,75% increase in wages.
Solidarity, the National Union of Mineworkers, and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa are negotiating for a wage increase of between 10 and 15%.
The deadlock in negotiations has fuelled fears that workers at Eskom might embark on a strike.
But Solidarity's general secretary Gideon du Plessis says there are no plans to down tools.
“The Eskom negotiations is a balancing act, we must balance what’s the interest of the workers we represent with the interest of the country. As we go into the dispute process where there will be a conciliation and thereafter, we go for arbitration. As a result, there is nothing in this process that will impact the provision of electricity to the country, and we will definitely not allow our members to participate in any unlawful action.”
Du Plessis says they will get back on the negotiating table with Eskom next week.
“We spent most of the first two rounds trying to narrow down the issues and unfortunately the last round this week Eskom did not make any move, which was an act of bad faith. But we are getting together again. On the 23 to 25 May where we are hoping in the third round, we will make progress.”
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