Two trade unions in a drawn-out wage dispute with Eskom stood back on Tuesday as a third union announced it had signed a deal with the national power utility.
Earlier this month, the electricity supplier declared a dispute with the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Solidarity.
Solidarity on Tuesday said it had signed a two-year wage deal that meant union members would get an average 8% increase this year, with a guaranteed minimum of 7%.
An 8% guaranteed minimum wage increase would be implemented next year.
Numsa dismissed a media report on Tuesday in which an Eskom spokesperson was quoted as saying Numsa had also accepted the wage offer.
”There is no deal that we have accepted. They might have got a hint that we are about to accept, with a few changes to the package, but we have not taken a decision as the union to accept,” said spokesperson Mziwakhe Hlangani.
Hlangani said that any agreement with the employer would require the agreement of at least two trade unions.
”If Solidarity would make an agreement with the employer and NUM and Numsa were not agreeable to that settlement, Solidarity would not be able to sign because it would not be binding or regarded in terms of the law as an agreement.”
NUM — the union with the highest number of members at Eskom — will hold a shop-stewards’ council on Wednesday on the matter.
Spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said there had been mixed calls as to what action the union should take.
The stop-stewards’ council meeting would bring mandated responses from members, he said.
”Tomorrow ([Wednesday] the decision will be made.”
The wage offer was made during a conciliation process facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration earlier this month.
Eskom could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. — Sapa