Parliament staff toyi-toyi over ‘zero’ increase

A showdown is looming should parliament and its workers not resolve an impasse on salary negotiations.

Workers sang and danced in the parliamentary precinct yesterday afternoon, minutes before Speaker Baleka Mbete, her deputy, Lechesa Tsenoli, and secretary to parliament Gengezi Mgidlana, briefed journalists on the national legislature’s R2.2 billion budget to be tabled today.

“We have been negotiating since April and Nehawu tabled a demand of 10.4%. Since then parliament has offered us zero,” said Temba Gubula, parliamentary branch secretary of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu).

“We are pinning our hopes on the presiding officers to intervene.”

Mgidlana said negotiations with Nehawu were still open and various options were being looked at. He dismissed claims by staff that retrenchments and a zero percent salary increase were the only options being looked at.

“In most, if not all, state institutions, we have had cuts and parliament was also affected. Part of the cuts, of course, would have affected the compensation of employees,” said Mgidlanda.

“We are currently engaged in negotiations with labour to look at ways and means to find a solution. We are not yet there in terms of finding any solutions.”

Mbete said she was hopeful staff would not have to settle for no salary hikes.