Nunmsa to consult members on Eskom’s 6% wage offer

JOHANNESBURG – Eskom on Thursday made a revised three-year wage offer of 6.2 percent for 2018 as wage negotiations between the embattled power utility and workers unions continued for the second day.

Eskom is also offering six percent for the second and third years. According to the offer, if consumer price index (CPI) is greater, the increase will be based on inflation but it will not be less than six percent.

One trade union, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), said it would consult its members about the offer.

On Wednesday, three trade unions including Numsa, rejected Eskom’s five percent wage offer, saying it was not an offer they could take back to their members for consideration as they remained steadfast in their demand of a nine percent increase

Numsa spokeperson Phakamile Hlubip-Majola said that Eskom had admitted that the independent power producers project was responsible for the financial crisis it found itself in, and had not dealt with the demand to reduce the bloated top management structure of over 400 executives who earn hefty salaries.

“We have decided to take this offer back to our members for them to reflect on. They must tell us how they feel about it and give us a mandate for the way forward. We will meet again next Friday where we will communicate the decision of our members,” Hlubi-Majola said.

– African News Agency (ANA)