Pretoria | Wednesday
THE Congress of SA Trade Unions, which represents the majority of public servants in the country, on Wednesday remained adamant it would not accept the state’s current pay rise offer which it fears could lead to major job losses.
The employer has said its offer of between 6,5 and eight percent for different post levels, could only come into effect if a majority signed.
This could not be achieved without the support of the four Cosatu unions.
Cosatu have agreed to the monetary increase on offer, but was insisting that the state remove from the draft agreement a clause which it says will allow it to retrench workers by the thousands.
Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi last week threatened public servants with a pay rise of only five percent, the state’s initial offer, if the current deal was not signed by the close of business on Tuesday.
This deadline, one of several to have been altered, was shifted to Wednesday morning.
Cosatu unions were meeting in Pretoria in the morning to decide on a way forward, the federation’s president Willy Madisha said.
“What is definite though, is that we will not sign the agreement.”
Four unions affiliated to the Federation of Unions of SA, which represents 36% of civil servants, have already accepted the state’s offer.
All 12 unions are to meet again in Pretoria at 2pm.
Moleketi was briefing the Cabinet on the current state of affairs in the morning, and was expected to address Parliament in the afternoon.
The Cosatu unions are the SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), and the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa).
Fedusa also represents four unions — the Public Servants Association (PSA), the Hospital Personnel Union of SA (Hospersa), the SA Onderwysersunie (SAOU), and the Public and Allied Workers Union of SA (Pawusa).
There were also four independent unions — the National Union of Public Service and Allies Workers (Nupsaw), the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa), the SA Police Union (Sapu), and the National Public Service Workers Union (NPSWU).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Naptosa said it was a great pity negotiations had broken down at such a critical stage.
“Naptosa is convinced that the parties were not far apart on the major issues. However, the impatience on the part of the state negotiators and their inflexibility on a number of issues are directly responsible for the current situation.” – Sapa
FEATURES:
State ‘not playing fair on public sector’ October 9, 2001
Crunch time for public servants September 12, 2001
ZA*NOW:
No agreement in public sector talks October 3, 2001
State raises pay offer September 28, 2001