The Citizen reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has refused to sign a wage agreement that it said would put its members in a disadvantaged position in the light of the current economic constraints marked by VAT and fuel increases.  

Samwu, along with the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu), deadlocked with the employer body, the SA Local Government Association (Salga), at the local government bargaining council talks.  The two unions separately declared disputes that were referred for conciliation.  At the first conciliation meeting on 28 June, Samwu rejected the proposals made by the facilitator, who had recommended an across the board 7% salary increases from 1July and that employees who earned a basic salary of R9,000 monthly or less receive a further 0.5% increase with effect from 1 January.  Samwu’s dispute is scheduled to be heard in a second conciliation meeting on 16 July and Imatu’s dispute on 23 July.  Salga said it respected the desire of the unions to approach the dispute process in different ways, and that they were willing to accommodate the two separate conciliation processes of the unions.  As a consequence of the agreement lapsing, municipal employees will not be getting a salary increase in July 2018, being the first month of the new financial year.

• Read this report by Eric Naki in full at The Citizen
• Read Samwu’s press statement at Samwu News
• Read Imatu’s press statement at Imatu News
• Read Salga’s press statement at SA Labour News

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page