Final salary offer from Salga

THE SA Local Government Association (Salga) tabled its final salary offer to trade unions in the municipal sector, the body said this week.

Spokesperson Sivuyile Mbambato said Salga tabled a final offer of 6.6% supplemented by inflation-linked increases in the “outer” years of a three-year wage deal.

“The final offer was presented by Salga with a view to seeking to secure an agreement with the unions at the negotiating table.”

The fourth and final round of talks was held in Durban from Monday to Wednesday.

“The trade unions formally recorded their revised offer of 8% across the board, a minimum wage of R7 393 and significantly aboveinflation increases for years two and three of the agreement,” Mbambato said.

“The unions further demanded that employees whose income was regarded as too low to access mortgage finance but also too high to qualify for RDP (low-cost) housing, should receive a nonpensionable allowance of R378.”

Elevated

The unions also demanded that the threshold for this category of employees should be elevated from R8 000 to R15 000.

The SA Municipal Workers

Union (Samwu) said it would seek a further mandate from workers after the final round of negotiations with the employer’s representative.

The unions demanded a singleyear agreement at the beginning of salary negotiations in December last year.

They also demanded a 15% salary increase or R3 150, whichever is greater, a minimum monthly salary of R10 000 and a R2 000 housing allowance among other things.

“Following the presentation of the facilitator’s proposal, we will consult our members in general meetings, which will culminate in special provincial executive committees and a special central executive committee meeting which will consolidate the position of the union,” said general secretary Simon Mathe.

“The central executive committee is the structure which will mandate the union to either accept the offer or to lodge a dispute and sanction a strike action in line with the union constitution as the agreed number of negotiation rounds will have been exhausted.”

The unions are expected to inform the South African Local Government Bargaining Council of their decision to either accept or reject the facilitator’s proposal next month. – African News Agency (ANA)