Archive of News

Breakdown of Public Sector wage negotiations

Wage talks for 2015/2016 have been tense since the end of last year, with labour accusing the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) of negotiating in bad faith, the like of which they say they have not witnessed since the advent of democracy.  The government had made an initial salary increase offer of 5.8%, but later changed it to 4.8% in line with consumer price index (CPI) projections.  This move has exasperated an already fragile process that negotiators representing workers predict will lead to a strike.

Cosatu-affiliated unions have already warned the government that they would be left with no option but to take to the streets should there not be a change of attitude.  The Independent Labour Caucus (ILC), a conservative bloc in the council, said it too was shocked by this year’s pace of negotiations and the sudden change of the government’s offer to labour.  It is said that DPSA Minister Collins Chabane would have to send his team back with an offer acceptable to labour if a serious breakdown is not to take place.  Yet, stakeholders in this year’s talks are worried Chabane has not demonstrated the ability to lead his team to a cordial compromise as took place in 2012.  Unions are demanding a 10% wage hike for public servants, after an initial demand of 15%.