Will Eskom strike affect City Power?

Is the Eskom strike almost over or will it affect Roodepoort?

Eskom Logo

According to Yumna Sheik spokesperson for City Power, Roodepoort residents will not be affected by the Eskom workers’ strike.

They embarked on a nationwide strike on 8 August demanding better wages.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is demanding a 13 per cent wage increase for the lowest-paid workers, 12 per cent for the highest-paid workers as well as a housing allowance of R5 000.

Eskom applied for an interdict preventing workers to strike, rendering this strike illegal.

NUM and Eskom have been in constant negotiations to resolve the wage issue. Eskom has offered a seven per cent increase.

After the latest talks between the two parties NUM revised their demands to 10 per cent for the lowest-paid workers, eight and a half per cent for the highest-paid workers and a housing allowance of R3 000.

“We have a working relationship with Eskom to mitigate any unforeseen circumstances,” Sheik said.

Eskom’s latest offer to the workers is a two-year deal. They are offering a wage increase of between eight and a half per cent and 10 per cent. The lowest-paid workers will receive a 10 per cent pay rise in the first year. The second year will see all workers receiving an increase of eight and a half per cent.

On 12 August Khulu Phasiwe, spokesperson for Eskom wrote the following in a Facebook post: “After a 14-hour negotiation marathon led by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), the National Union of Mineworkers and Solidarity have both signed the agreement in the early hours of the morning. The National Union of Mineworkers in South Africa (Numsa) has not signed the deal yet but have, in principle, accepted the settlement offer.”

All NUM’s members are urged to return to work as soon as possible.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.