No end to Eskom wage impasse

The three unions, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the National Union of Metalworkers of South African (Numsa) and Solidarity, rejected a proposed 7% increase for 2018 during the latest round of negotiations in Johannesburg on Friday. 

This means there is still no end in sight to the impasse following weeks of wage negotiations between the power utility and the three unions. 

Initially, Eskom said there would be no wage increase this year due to its precarious financial position, which sparked 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.

The NUM's deputy general-secretary William Mabapa says the parties will reconvene on Tuesday but the unions won't be taking the offer to their members. 

"In our understanding, we did not finish the discussions. While we were discussing the venue was booked for other activities. But during the discussions, we can confirm that Eskom gave us a revised offer of 7% which we have rejected. There is nothing that we are taking back to the workers."

Mabapa says union agreed to a request by the cash-strapped utility to resume negotiations on Tuesday.

"Eskom pleaded with us that they want to consider what we are saying and that we must then meet on Tuesday. Then we will make the final determination whether we have got a deal on the table to settle these wages or we don't have a deal to settle this."