Talks between striking security guards and their employers were in progress in Johannesburg on Monday, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) said. The talks started at noon.
”Talks are still in progress. We are still waiting for the chairman of the meeting to give us a report,” CCMA spokesperson Lusanda Myoli said.
The guards went on strike last month after a wage dispute between the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) and the South African National Security Employers’ Association, a body representing employers.
The employers offered an 8% pay increase to the guards, but Satawu is demanding 11%.
On Monday, Satawu spokesperson Ronnie Mamba said the talks would carry on as planned. ”The negotiations are on track and, as Satawu, we believe they will lead to a finalisation of the matter under discussion.
”It is a difficult process given the fact that there are four groups involved, namely the employer associations, the other 14 unions that signed, the CCMA and the two unions that did not sign [including Satawu].
”We expect today’s meeting to go into the actual demands as opposed to the opening session on Friday, which was mainly addressing the climate and the conditions of the talks,” Mamba said.
He said Satawu expected that Monday’s meeting would not be the last. ”More will still be held given the complexity of the talks and the issues at hand.” — Sapa