Eskom delegation’s lack of power delays talks

Despite Cabinet’s appeal to all parties to “work expeditiously” to reach an agreement in the Eskom wage talks to create economic stability, the third day of negotiations yielded no results.

This was because the power utility’s delegation did not have a mandate to take key decisions, according to trade unions.

Leaders of the three negotiating trade unions, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), and Solidarity, who met with Eskom management said the talks had to be adjourned to allow the delegation to consult the board before reconvening next Wednesday.

In a joint statement, the unions said it was “unacceptable that when the entire nation is waiting with bated breath for an outcome ... Eskom continues to play games with the process.

“The reason we deadlocked in the first round of wage talks two weeks ago was because Eskom management was unable to take decisions without consulting the board,” the statement said.

The three unions said they presented a consolidated response to Eskom’s proposal for a fouryear wage agreement, with a 4.7% wage increase for 2018, and inflation-based increase for every year thereafter.

They presented Eskom with a detailed package, including a plan on how it can achieve a financial turnaround while still meeting workers’ wage demands, the statement said.

“Today we reconvened expecting Eskom to respond, but management informed us they had consult to the board first.”