Samwu accepts wage offer, no done deal yet

No date has been set for the signing of a wage agreement between unions representing municipal workers and the South African Local Government Association (Salga) representing the employer. This after three rounds of negotiations, spanning over months, and a conciliation process drawing to a close recently. Thapelo Matlala, Provincial Executive Officer of Salga Limpopo on Tuesday said the mediator’s proposal has not yet been signed and no date has yet been set for the signing of a wage agreement.
“Until that has been done, it is not a done deal yet,” he said. “Once an agreement has been signed Salga will hold workshops with municipalities so they do all things right according to the agreement.”
The South African Municipal Workers Union’s (Samwu) last week accepted a 7% wage increase which effectively brought the current municipal wage negotiations to an end. The South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALBG) has been requested to schedule a meeting of the drafting team, on an urgent basis, in order that a collective agreement can be crafted for signature by all the parties. The SALBG comprises three parties, Salga, Samwu and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu).
Samwu General Secretary, Walter Theledi in a press statement dated 14 August stated that: “Members will be updated once a final draft collective agreement is concluded, which draft will also be circulated to all regions for inputs prior to finalisation and signature.”
Salga and Imatu provisionally accepted the outcomes and proposals by the mediator, but Samwu asked for an extension of the period to give feedback. Theledi further said the Central Executive Committee (CEC) accepted the proposal as presented without additions or subtractions. The proposal will include a multiyear agreement, effective from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2018.
• A 7% across the board salary increase in the first year of the agreement and CPI +1% for the remainder of the agreement
• A sectoral minimum wage of
R 6 014,93 with effect 1 July 2015
• Retention of the 60:40 employer medical contribution however maximum employer contribution will increase to a maximum of R3 871
• A new housing allowance dispensation for low earners who are currently not servicing bonds, of an amount of R350
• A R700 homeowner’s allowance
Limpopo Samwu Chairperson, Timson Tshililo on Tuesday was on his way to the union’s national congress set to start yesterday (Wednesday). He said the proposals were accepted at the CEC and Samwu was just waiting for the signing of the agreement, the date of which is still to be set. He expected the date to be set at the congress, which ends on Saturday.