BusinessLive reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has revised its wage demands as it seeks to hammer out a new wage deal without having to resort to strike action.

The SA Local Government Association (Salga), representing the country’s 257 municipalities, and unions met at the SA Local Bargaining Council last week for a further round of negotiations, during which Samwu tabled its revised demands. Samwu had been demanding a one-year wage agreement with a R4,000 salary increase across the board; a R15,000 minimum wage; a R3,500 housing allowance; 80% employer medical aid contribution; 25% employer contribution towards a pension; six months paid maternity leave; and one month paid paternity leave. According to an internal circular to Samwu provincial secretaries, the union is now demanding a R2,500 wage increase or 7%, whichever is greater. The union has also revised its R3,500 housing allowance demand down to R2,000. Samwu’s Dumisane Magagula wrote in the circular that it rejected Salga’s original 2.8% wage increase offer, saying the employer “indicated that they may adjust [the offer] up to 3%, which was still unacceptable under the current economic environment”. Meantime, the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) has not revised its demand of the greater of a 9% wage hike or R2,500. The next round of negotiation talks will be on 3 and 4 June.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page