JOHANNESBURG - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said yesterday that it was ready to sign a three-year wage offer from state power firm Eskom, provided the utility agrees not to discipline staff who went on strike illegally.
Investors want to see a resolution to the stand-off between workers and Eskom.
Further strikes could lead to power cuts that have hobbled the economy in the past.
Eskom and its three main unions reached the outline deal a week ago, agreeing on salary increases of 7.5 percent this year and 7 percent next year and in 2020, plus other benefits.
As part of the deal, the two largest unions at Eskom, NUM and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, wanted members who participated in an illegal strike to not face disciplinary action, a condition Eskom rejected.
The utility on Wednesday sought arbitration relating to the disciplinary dispute, threatening to delay implementation of a wage deal to avoid further power cuts. “As the NUM, we are ready to sign the deal anytime,” said NUM president Joseph Montisetse.