Another union rejects Eskom wage offer

Johannesburg, South Africa — ESI-AFRICA.COM — 31 August 2011 – South African trade union Solidarity has announced that it is declaring a wage dispute with national power utility Eskom Holdings, and that it is taking the issue to the government arbitrator.

Solidarity, which mainly represents skilled workers, said it was rejecting Eskom’s 7% offer, but did not specify its demands.

Eskom “’ which provides virtually all the electricity in South Africa “’ has also been locked in wage negotiations with other unions.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) confirmed yesterday that it had refused to sign a wage deal with Eskom.

NUMSA said that a strike by its members was not imminent, but added that “if it comes to the push, we will not hesitate to mobilise our members for an industrial action.” It said Eskom was offering a 7% wage increase while it was demanding 13% across the board.

Eskom has also been locked in wage talks with the powerful National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), but no solution to that wage dispute has been reached either.