The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) has warned that plans to impose the proposed wage increase undermine collective bargaining.
On Thursday, Public Service and Administration Acting Minister Thulas Nxesi told public servants that he contemplates implementing the 3% wage hike offer to avoid uncertainties during the medium-term budget policy statement scheduled for next week.
According to Nxesi, the total wage offer plus benefits mean government employees will get an increase of up to 9%.
However, Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said union members have rejected the proposed wage offer in its current form.
“Popcru has noted the efforts by the government to further undermine collective bargaining by attempting to unilaterally impose on the public service a salary adjustment offer that has been overwhelmingly rejected by majority unions,” said Mamabolo.
“In their latest attempt, through a leaked communique, the minister of public service and administration issued a note regarding the process aimed at finalising the current public service salary negotiations.
“This seeks to legitimise the unilateral implementation of a salary adjustment by relying on section 5(5)(b) of the Public Service Act which provides that the last offer can be implemented in the event of a deadlock.”
Mamabolo said an attempt to impose the 3% wage increase on workers disregards a resolution of a council sitting in which majority unions voted against the proposed hike.
“This latest move by the government does not take into account that in the council meeting, which took place on October 3 2022, the 3% and the non-pensionable gratuity of R1 000 offer did not receive majority support.
“Hence in terms of the public service coordinating bargaining council constitution, clause 17.10 states that in an event that the draft resolution circulated for 21 days does not reach a majority status, the resolution then falls off.”
Mamabolo said Popcru, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union, and the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA have exercised their right to declare a dispute against the proposed wage increase during a council seating, and have also applied for conciliation expected to be conducted from October 31.
According to him, this means the government’s plan is futile, saying if it goes ahead and impose the wage offer, “it would have declared war on workers”.
“This means currently there is no offer, and the minister’s attempt at finalising anything is misplaced.”
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