BusinessLive reports that cash-strapped Eskom on Tuesday offered its employees an inflation-targeted 4.7% wage increase for 2018 and inflation-based increases for the three years thereafter.  

Eskom initially offered workers no wage hike, which resulted in labour unrest at the state-owned power utility.  The National Union of Mineworkers, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and Solidarity said they would take the revised offer to their members for a mandate.  They indicated that other demands such as housing allowance increases and payment of performance bonuses would remain unchanged.  They added that they viewed the 4.7% proposal as an “opening offer”, suggesting they expected it to be increased.  Apparently the unions, which until now had demanded 9% and 15% hikes, will now be forming a united front to table uniform demands.  While sources in the unions said an ideal increase would be 10%, they were likely to settle with a two-year wage offer giving workers 9% this year and 8% in 2019.  The four-year agreement proposed by Eskom was also bound to be shot down, the sources said.  Eskom is facing serious financial difficulties.

• Read this report by Theto Mahlakoana in full at BusinessLive

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page