Public servants mull final offer
LABOUR unions representing public servants said preliminary results of votes cast by members in response to the government’s final offer of a 3% pensionable salary increase showed the offer is being rejected.
The government had raised its offer to 3% at the end of August which is 1% up from its previous offer.
The Public Servants Association (PSA) said that the government tabled a final offer of a 3% pensionable salary adjustment to employees on salary level 1 to 12, implementable from April 1, 2022 and continuation of the cash gratuity until March 31, 2023.
“The PSA, as a mandate-driven, democratic union, is not yet in a position to either accept or reject the offer as results have not been finalised. Current mandating outcomes indicate that votes are tilting towards rejecting the offer. The main reasons for members rejecting the offer is the lack of a guarantee for incorporating the cash gratuity into the baseline or continuation of the cash gratuity after March 31, 2023.“
The PSA said members were feeling the rising cost of living including continuous load shedding and interest rate hikes. “The excessive load shedding has amplified the cost-of-living burden on public servants, while successive interest rate increases have intensified the hardships on these workers who are already struggling to pay for transport, housing, and increasing debt that arose in the absence of receiving meaningful salary increases for the past three years.”
The PSA said the offer tabled by the government will, in terms of the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council’s constitution, lapse today should it fail to enjoy majority signatures by unions.
“The PSA will approach the government as the employer to incorporate a clause that will ensure incorporation of the cash gratuity into baseline or continuation of the cash gratuity beyond March 31, 2023, which may ensure a positive members’ mandate to accept the offer.”
Mlungisi Ndlovu, KZN PSA provincial manager, said the decision on whether to embark on a strike following the government’s latest wage offer had not yet been made. “We are still finalising results of the ballot votes by our members before final consultation within our relevant structures.”
Itumeleng Molatlhegi, Cosatu public sector co-ordinator, said they still needed to consult all its affiliates before making a decision on whether to strike following the government’s latest offer. “The general feeling from our members was that the 3% offer by the government for public servants was still a bit too low. However, no decision has been made on strike action. We are hopeful that the consultations with affiliates to get mandates will be completed in the next few days and from there we will plan a way forward and announce it to the media.”