ESKOM’s wage talks with unions have collapsed, forcing the power utility to declared a dispute with the CCMA because, it says, it can’t offer a wage hike above 1.5 percent.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)’s acting General Secretary William Mabapa confirmed on Wednesday that Eskom has indeed declared a dispute with the trade unions.
Mabapa said the NUM will wait for the CCMA date for conciliation.
He added that the trade unions are optimistic that the CCMA process will be able to resolve this dispute.
“The NUM conditionally reviewed its demands yesterday to 10%, with a condition that Eskom must make a proper offer. Now that Eskom has failed to make an offer they revert back to its original demands of 15%, closing the Apartheid Wage Gap, conditions of services and organizational rights,” said Mabapa.
“The NUM is extremely angered and disturbed after Eskom GCE Andre De Ruyter released a misleading statement yesterday to all Eskom employees misleading and lying to them of the proceedings at the Central Bargaining Forum (CBF). This is the same person who refused to address the CBF but dares to deliberately misrepresent and lie about the proceedings of the CBF.”
“We condemn the misinformation by Eskom to our members yesterday. Eskom failed to negotiate with and wants to negotiate directly with our members. They are refusing to bargain, because we are still in the beginning of the 3rd round of negotiations as per our recognition agreement. The Eskom disciplinary code classifies misinforming as serious misconduct.”
Mabapa said Eskom CEO did not only misinform union members but has also disrespected and contravened the recognition agreement.
“Contravening the agreement with trade unions is also misconduct,” said Mabapa.
“For this reason, we call on the shareholder or the chairman of the board to institute disciplinary measures. No one is immune from complying with the disciplinary code of the company. The GCE must be suspended pending a disciplinary hearing.”
Meanwhile, NUM said it rejects report clearing Eskom’s CEO de Ruyter of racism.
Eskom announced its Board received report from Advocate Ishmael Semenya appointed to investigate the claims.
NUM’s spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu says they want Parliament to probe the allegations.
- Inside Politics
