/ 16 September 2009

Sars, unions reach wage agreement

A wage agreement between the South African Revenue Service (Sars) and unions, National Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and the Public Service Association (PSA), was reached on Wednesday following industrial action during this month.

”Both unions accepted and signed a collective agreement that will implement a salary increase of between 9% and 11% on a sliding scale for the respective graded positions of Sars officials,” Sars spokesperson Adrian Lackay said in a statement,

The wage increases will be backdated from July 1 2009, according to the agreement reached at the national bargaining forum on Wednesday afternoon.

Sars and the unions also agreed that a special task team be appointed to make recommendations on two unresolved labour issues.

The one issue was of ”career modelling”.

Lackay said this issue had to do with job descriptions and grading — as well as the consequent remunerations.

He said the issue had been outstanding from previous years, when an agreement in 2005 lapsed and there was not a further resolution.

The other issue to be looked at would be remuneration for ”danger pay” that applies to certain groups of Sars officials.

Lackay said the team was expected to consist of someone with a legal background in labour as well as representative from the unions and Sars.

The task team must make recommendations to the national bargaining forum on October 31.

The matters are to be finalised, with facilitation from the national bargaining forum on or before the end of December this year.

”Sars welcomes today’s outcome of a wage settlement and remains committed to build constructive relationships with organised labour.” — Sapa