Johannesburg - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Thursday said it would consult its members on an improved wage increase offer of 7 percent tabled by Eskom.
This comes after the union rejected an earlier wage offer of 5.75 percent on Tuesday, saying it still fell short of its demands and calling the power utility “arrogant”.
NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu said the union was not in a position to accept or reject the latest offer, but it was up to its members to decide.
“The NUM has noted the latest wage offer by Eskom of 7 percent across the board. The NUM is not in a position accept or reject Eskom’s latest offer. The NUM is going to seek a mandate from its members,” Mammburu said.
The union wants a 15 percent wage increase for its lowest paid members and a 13 percent raise for its highest paid staff.
The NUM said some of the issues informing its demands were housing allowance, maternity leave, the duration of the wage agreement, an overlap of the salary scale, and the closing of the 50 percent gap between the minimum and maximum wages.
The union demands include six months of paid maternity leave, a housing allowance of R5 500 and that wage agreements be maintained at one year instead of three.
“The NUM has not exhausted its mandate, however, we take note of the company’s offer. We are disappointed and dejected that our demands except the salary increase have been rejected by Eskom without consideration,” Mammburu said.
Eskom employs over 42 000 people with NUM representing more than 14 000 of the work force.
Eskom was not available for comment on Thursday, but stakeholders have agreed to meet for the fourth round of wage negotiations on the 13th, 14th and 15th of July in Johannesburg.
On Tuesday, Eskom said the utility faced a precarious financial position and was servicing loans that have kept its operations running.
ANA