Major differences have emerged among public service unions ahead of Friday’s massive industrial action, with some union leaders in the bargaining council considering a compromise offer to break the impasse and others sitting tight on labour’s original demand of 12%.
Meanwhile, the Mail & Guardian has established that the ANC’s top six officials instructed the party’s secretary general, Kgalema Motlanthe, to intervene in the pay talks negotiations to try and break the logjam.
As the dispute pits the ANC’s union allies against an ANC government, it is embarrassing for the ruling party.
After almost two months of negotiations, the two sides have not been able to settle their differences — although this week’s crisis talks did produce a ‘working document†as a basis for further horse-trading. In theory, a million civil servants could strike on Friday, although the turnout is likely to be far smaller.
The education sector is likely to be hardest hit with up to 250 000 teachers downing chalk. However, essential service workers in sectors such as health, police and prisons have been advised by their unions not to join the strike.
According to sources in trade union federation Cosatu, Motlanthe met the labour federation’s top leaders this week. The meeting resolved that labour and government should settle for a 7% salary increase.
Following the encounter, Cosatu leaders suddenly agreed to consider proposals prepared by a joint technical committee on Thursday. The only union affiliated to Cosatu which rejected the document is the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu).
In an apparent face-saving climb-down on Thursday, Cosatu said in a statement that the document developed by the technical committee was recognised ‘only as a working document for the purposes of discussion and exploring possible settlement options, without prejudice to any party’s rightâ€.
On Tuesday, the technical team, comprising employer and union representatives, had proposed salary increases of between 6,5% and 9%. Although apparently endorsed by Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, the proposal was rejected by all the unions, including Cosatu’s affiliates.
Union officials say that on the strength of the ‘deal†between Motlanthe and union bosses, she prematurely announced in Parliament this week without providing details that there had been a breakthrough in the talks.
The meeting and Fraser-Moleketi’s announcement angered some union leaders, particularly those from the independent unions.
Henry Hendricks, executive director of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa), told the M&G he was taken aback by the announcement.
A leader from one of Cosatu’s affiliated unions, who asked not to be named, said the sudden change of position by Cosatu unions had come after Motlanthe’s intervention.
Motlanthe is understood to have told the Cosatu leaders at the meeting that the majority of ANC MPs sympathised with the unions’ demands, but that they did not want to see a situation where ‘we don’t compromise. They want us to be seen negotiating in good faith,†he allegedly said.
Said the union source: ‘The government said they can’t put the 7% offer on the table before Friday’s strike because this would mean that after the strike they will have to up their offer again.
‘Most Cosatu leaders know that we will settle for under 12%, but they’re afraid to go to their members to say that; the members will be angry. The position is no longer taken by members, but is done through political intervention.â€
Hendricks said he was aware of the meeting between Cosatu and the ANC top brass, adding that his union was concerned about the kind of message this was sending to the public. The source said that a large section of unionised public servants had agreed on an indefinite strike.
‘The minister’s statement was unfortunate. She gave the impression that the technical committee’s proposals had been adopted by everyone, which was not true.â€
Hendricks said Fraser-Moleketi had made her parliamentary statement before union leaders could even consider the technical committee’s proposals. This led to unions breaking up into groups to discuss the issue.
He added: ‘From the independent union side, we said we were not fully in agreement with the technical team’s proposals. Our position is that we should fight for a double-digit salary increase.â€
Manfred Rothballer, assistant general secretary of the Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Horspersa) said he was upset by Cosatu’s change of tack after it met ANC leaders.
‘This is funny, because it would seem real negotiations are happening at Cosatu,†Rothballer said. ‘When we left the meeting late on Tuesday, the attitude was that we were all opposed to the technical team’s proposals. But, after Cosatu met ANC leaders, the approach was quite different.â€