The country’s 1.3 million public servants are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the government’s bid to halt bargaining council talks to settle their salary increase dispute until the Labour Court has ruled on the matter.
The Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) was due to hear the dispute referred by Cosatu affiliates, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) and the Democratic Nurses Organisation of SA (Denosa) for arbitration on Tuesday and Wednesday last week.
However, the government successfully interdicted the PSCBC proceedings at the Labour Court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, until another urgent application is heard.
The government wants the PSCBC arbitration proceedings stayed until the Labour Court has determined the bid by other public sector unions to declare that the state’s failure to implement the salary adjustments agreement is in breach of their members’ employment contracts.
The PSCBC will wait for the judgment before deciding on setting the arbitration down while the Public Servants Association (PSA) warned its members that the dispute was going to be a prolonged process.
Nehawu has accused the government of using delaying tactics and that it never attempted to postpone the matter during the conciliation process, and this confirmed its refusal and arrogance to resolve the dispute.
Nehawu, Sadtu, Popcru and Denosa, which referred the matter for arbitration after conciliation failed, opposed the government’s application.
The PSA, the National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA, the Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of SA, the SA Teachers Union and the National Teachers Union want the government to implement the salary increases between 4.4% and 5.4% agreed to at the PSCBC in 2018, which were due to come into effect on April 1.
The National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers and the SA Policing Union have indicated that they intend joining the Labour Court application to enforce the salary agreement.
On Friday, the Labour Court heard arguments on the government’s bid to have the PSCBC arbitration proceedings stayed and judgment was reserved.
Political Bureau