BusinessLive reports that the weak economy, political instability and high cost of living are some of the factors that are expected to make 2017’s public sector negotiations the "most difficult" to date.  

Wage talks are expected to get under way at the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council in September ahead of the expiration of the current agreement in March 2018.  Trade unions are gearing up for an uphill battle, but have vowed they would not succumb to pressure to accept inflation-based wage offers from the government, despite the weak state of the economy.  Curbing the government’s wage bill is one of the proposals that make up Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s recently launched action plan to lift growth.  Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini said the federation was against the Treasury’s plan, indicating that workers would not be sacrificial lambs and could not be expected to demand anything below a living wage.  The Public Servants Association (PSA) said it was also ready to defend the right of workers to demand a double-digit increase.

• Read this report by Theto Mahlakoana in full at BusinessLive

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