STAFF REPORTER
THE National Union of Mineworkers and other unions are to meet with Eskom for wage negotiations on Monday.
All trade unions organising in Eskom, the NUM, NUMSA and Solidarity, have officially submitted their wage demands.
The unions want a pay hike of 15% across the board as well as the reinstatement of performance bonuses and a R7 000 housing allowance.
The NUM said that rounds of Eskom wage negotiations are set to start on the 19th, 20th and 21st April 2023 at the Cedarwoods in Sandton, Johannesburg.
NUM, which has about 14 000 members at Eskom, wants the housing allowance to be raised to R7 000 and for employees to be allowed to buy houses anywhere in the country.
“The NUM urges the employer to negotiate in good faith. As a start, the NUM will not allow to have any of its conditions of service tempered with in these negotiations. The apartheid wage gap should be finalised as per agreement,” said Olehile Kgware, NUM Eskom Chief Negotiator.
This year’s wage talks follow an impasse in 2022 that culminated in an unprotected strike which dealt a heavy blow to Eskom’s already fragile capacity to generate electricity.
Eskom ultimately reached a 7% wage increase agreement with unions after a week of protests and escalating load shedding.
The NUM key wage demands are as follows:
Salary increase
15% salary increase across the board
Housing
Housing allowance to be increased to R7 000. The NUMPROP to be introduced to Eskom and that employees be allowed to purchase houses anywhere in South Africa.
Medical Aid
Company contribution to shift to 80% and employees to pay 20%
Cellphone allowance
All cellphone allowance to be standard of R1000
X-Scheme Allowance
R10 000 for all qualifying employees
Electricity Allowance
R1 500 allowance for Eskom employees
Danger or Essential worker allowance
R1 500 essential worker allowance once off for the year
Conditions of service
15% increase on all other COS allowances
Rural allowance
R5 000 rural allowance
Performance bonus
Performance bonus to be brought back at 25% annual salary
Paternity leave
Four weeks paternity leave without using one’s contingency leave
Pay Day
Pay day to move to Friday if and when the 26th is on a Sunday
JH Smith
Jan H Smith to increase to R20 000 per child
Truck Driver allowance
R1 000 truck drive allowance
Voltage work allowance
R150 low voltage and R250 high voltage work allowance
Lower salary scales
T05 to be scrapped in Eskom and all employees to be T06
Trainees
All trainees in Eskom to be absorbed into the business
Early Pension
People retiring at 60 years to be allowed to leave with no penalties
PSR Allowance
A 5% PSR authorisation allowance
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