Eskom hopeful wage deadlock will be broken
Eskom is confident a wage agreement will be reached between the power utility and unions on Friday.
This comes after weeks of wage negotiations between the power utility and three unions, Solidarity, the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa).
Initially, Eskom said there would be no wage increase this year due to its precarious financial position.
The 0% wage increase led to wildcat strikes at some Eskom power stations - forcing the power utility to implement load shedding.
Unions are demanding a 9% wage increase for 2018, an 8.6% increase for the second year and an 8.5% increase for 2020.
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However, Eskom last week Friday tabled their final offer of 6.2 % for 2018, 6 % for 2019 and 2020.
Eskom's Khulu Phasiwe say the utility is hopeful that the unions would agree to their 6.2 % offer.
"From our side, we have placed an offer that is better than the 0% increase and the previous offer," says Phasiwe.
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Numsa's Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says the offer by the power utility was presented to its members and it will present their response to Eskom on Friday.
"Our members will be the ones to determine the offer, and if they choose to reject the offer they will be the ones to determine the way forward," says Hlubi-Majola.