ANA reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) indicated on Wednesday that it would be holding a protest march against Eskom in Durban on 9 June over a “provocative” offer of a zero-percent wage increase.  

The offer was made by the state-owned power utility made at the start of wage negotiations on Monday.  The union said:  “Amongst other things the NUM is not happy about is the manner [in which] Eskom is negotiating, which demonstrates arrogance and a don’t-care attitude to its employees.  NUM is aware that Eskom has developed a new corporate plan which talks about reducing employees by 30 percent.  They are initiating the plan to provoke NUM members and other employees.”  The NUM said it would submit a memorandum about corruption in the KwaZulu-Natal region and its ongoing opposition to an agreement Eskom signed recently with independent power producers, which unions have claimed would lead to job losses in the coal sector.

• A short report is at The Citizen

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