The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has not succeeded in negotiations with their staff over a wage dispute.
According to a statement on Wednesday, the Commission Staff Association (CSA) is preparing to poll its membership on whether to strike, following the deadlock in salary negotiations.
A statement from the CCMA said they are “offering an across the board increase of between 6% and 12% for different levels of staff and a range of benefits and allowances”.
“The CSA is demanding an across the board increase of a minimum of 14 % and up to 54%, of which 8% comprises a 13th cheque,” said the statement.
Thulani Dube, the president of the CSA told the Mail & Guardian Online on Wednesday: “My view is that the management has not been communicating with us in good faith. It’s clear that when management went into the meetings, they already had a plan to deal with a strike.”
He believes “charity begins at home” and that the relationship between staff and management is “not what one would expect” from a company that fights for the rights of workers.
“We are of the view that they [management] are not keeping with the image of the [company].”
Negotiations began two to three years ago about a remuneration policy and an employee grading policy in the CCMA.
“Management has been unwilling to move [their position] … We’ve deadlocked because management doesn’t want to move the staff to the medium composition ratio [entry-level salary]. Management is refusing to offer the 13th cheque [as well],” said Dube.
CCMA management have proposed a “joint CSA/management task team be established to investigate and discuss the CCMA’s remuneration policy which was drafted in consultation with the CSA, approved by the governing body and implemented in 2003,” said the statement.
“In the event of industrial action, the CCMA will endeavor to continue providing services with minimal disruption.
“We will also be looking at requesting both the part-time commissioners and interpreters to join the union on [a] secondary strike,” added the statement.