Eskom wage negotiations enter final day

CAPE TOWN – Wage negotiations between Eskom and trade unions will on Thursday enter the final day after workers rejected the 4.7 percent wage offer from the embattled power utility.

Trade unions on Wednesday said they presented a consolidated wage proposal to Eskom as talks resumed for a second day this week after Eskom agreed to withdraw its zero percent wage offer from the table. The unions would not divulge details of the offer, saying it was a “delicate process” which should not be negotiated in the media.

But it is believed that unions tabled a long list of demands which includes a nine percent wage hike for 2018, plus 8.6 percent and 8.5 percent for the following two years. Workers also want a R1,000 housing allowance in 2018 and performance bonuses for 2017-18.

On Thursday, Eskom is expected to give feedback on the proposal made jointly by all unions. The power utility is struggling to adjust its cost structure and battling with a bloated wage bill and heavy debts of about R350 billion while owed billions by defaulting municipalities.

A strike by workers has seen the country’s energy grid come under increasing pressure, resulting in intermittent power cuts over the past few days.

– African News Agency (ANA)