A document containing proposals to resolve the deadlock between the government and public-sector unions over wage increases was circulated at talks between the parties in Centurion on Tuesday afternoon.
The document — compiled by a technical committee comprising government and union negotiators, who met throughout Monday night — was handed to all the representatives at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council.
The document was not made public, and both government and labour negotiators were mum on its contents. It was understood, however, that it contained several suggestions on improvements in the overall pay-package increase already proposed by the government.
Labour and government negotiators were meeting separately to study the document before taking it to their principals, who include Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi.
Once they receive instructions from their principals, the bargaining council is set to meet to discuss the proposal.
The full council was supposed to have met at 2pm, but that had been postponed for several hours.
On Monday, a full sitting of the bargaining council took place at the government’s request, but the government made no new offer.
It was agreed that four committees — on the general public service, on health and welfare, on education, and on safety and security — would discuss issues to be negotiated in those fields overnight.
”Smaller teams will engage each other through the night so by the time we reconvene tomorrow [Tuesday] we can have a framework which we can use a point of departure for further negotiations,” said Congress of South African Trade Unions spokesperson Don Pasquallie on Monday afternoon.
Chris Kloppers of the Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie, speaking on behalf of the Independent Labour Caucus, said on Monday the breaking-up into smaller technical committees did not mean that different deals for different public-sector workers were on the table. ”I don’t think there will be dissent between the different sectors.”
Lewis Rabkin, spokesperson for the Department of Public Service and Administration, said the government was happy with the technical team discussions.
”They worked late into the night. The meeting was constructive. Progress has been made but we are going back to the bargaining chamber around 2pm today,” he told the Mail & Guardian Online on Tuesday morning.
Public-sector unions have not yet withdrawn their notice for a joint indefinite strike from June 1. — Sapa