Bloomberg reports that state-owned power utility Eskom has kept its nil pay offer to workers unchanged in a second round of wage talks.  

Company spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said:  "We still are sitting where we are, at 0%.  The encouraging thing, though, is both parties are willing to continue talks."  The negotiations are taking place as Eskom strives to improve the efficiency of its operations and rein in costs.  The utility began a process in April to sell a mortgage unit used to provide home loans to staff while, according to a Business Day report, chairman Jabu Mabuza has said new appointments have been halted and that there would be no pay increases or bonuses.  The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which represents about 15,000 of the utility’s 47,000 workers, approached the talks by calling for Mabuza and Eskom CEO Phakamani Hadebe to quit.  The union also claimed in a statement that the utility’s decision to sell assets would result in job losses.

• This short report by Paul Burkhardt is at BusinessLive

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