Eskom wage talks set to begin today as NUM, Numsa demand 15% increase

The first round of wage negotiations between Eskom and labour unions will kick start on Wednesday, at the Central Bargaining Forum (CBF) in Johannesburg.

Eskom wage negotiations

The power utility’s main unions, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), and Solidarity have officially submitted their wage demands.

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NUM and Numsa are both demanding a 15% salary increase across the board, along with other benefits.

Solidarity, on the other hand, wants an across-the-board salary increase of the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the 12 months prior to the salary increase, plus an additional 3%.

The first round of wage talks will be held at CedarWoods of Sandton in Woodmead from 19 to 21 April.

The NUM urged Eskom to negotiate in good faith, saying it would not allow having any of its conditions of service tempered within these negotiations.

“The apartheid wage gap should be finalised as per agreement,” the union said in a statement.

Core demands

Among its core demands, NUM wants workers’ housing allowance to be increased to R7 000 and Eskom’s contribution to medical aid to be 80%, and for employees to pay 20%.

The union also wants all cellphone allowances to be set at R1 000 and four weeks of paternity leave without employees using their contingency leave.

Numsa wants Eskom to correct the income differentials among its workforce. The union is demanding a two-year wage agreement as well as an 80% medical aid contribution from the employer and a 20% contribution from workers.

Numsa further wants six months full pay maternity leave and 14 days of paternity leave.

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