Johannesburg - The public sector unions affiliated with the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) have reportedly reached an amicable settlement with the government.
This has been revealed by Fedusa in a statement issued on Tuesday after a 7% wage increase was agreed upon following two weeks of protests across the country.
"Trade unions affiliated with Fedusa are happy to report back to members of the public that there have been significant strides made in the wage negotiations under way for the period 2023/2024.
"Earlier today (Tuesday), the employer tabled a revised offer of 7% to organised labour, which comprises the majority of unions in the public service coordinating bargaining council (PSCBC), despite the absence of those who elected to boycott the process," Fedusa spokesperson Betty Moleya said.
Over the past two weeks, public servants have been engaged in countrywide protests over a wage dispute with the government. The union was demanding a 10% wage increase, while the government is offering 4.7%.
Last week, as the protests became violent amid acts of intimidation by members of the affiliated unions, Fedusa said it condemned the incidents of violence and intimidation that came to characterise some of the protests across the country, with reports of patients dying as a result of the strike.
"Fedusa recognises that the sanctity of collective bargaining must be safeguarded within the framework of the Labour Relations Act (LRAS), but under no circumstances must industrial action be accompanied by or associated with intimidation, violence, or the risk to livelihoods, as has been seen in recent media reports," the federation said at the time.
Moleya said even though their mandate was to negotiate for a 10% increase, the settlement increase was a step in the right direction following weeks of negotiations.
"These negotiations have continued while public servants suffered the ire of their communities as other unions elected to take part in detrimental industrial action over historical issues.
"While Fedusa affiliates in the sector acknowledge that the issues that led to the strike are critical, it would have been ideal that labour collaborate in its efforts to secure workers reasonable wage increases in council, the only place we believe negotiations can be successfully held."
"Organised labour negotiators have been hard at work, pressing ahead with the members’ mandate of a 10% wage increase, among other demands. While further details of where the government stands on housing and medical aid, among others, will be shared in due course, labour has also, in the spirit of peaceful and fruitful negotiations, made a compromise," Moleya added.
The Star