Johannesburg - The SA Revenue Service (Sars) has tabled a revised offer to its employees a week after they embarked on a strike after wage negotiations collapsed following the taxman’s refusal to increase their salaries by 12%.
Instead, Sars offered a 1.39% salary increase, which unions representing described as "offensive and ridiculous".
The strike started on July 12 and at the time, the Public Servants Association (PSA), indicated that it would be "indefinite until the arrogant employer listens".
On Tuesday, more than a week into the strike, Sars tabled a revised offer to settle the deadlock and end the crippling industrial action.
Sars' latest offer includes a 1.5% pensionable salary increase, which will be backdated to April this year.
In addition, should public servants, who are involved in their own battle with the government over salary increases, receive more than the 1.5% Sars is promising to pay the difference.
At the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC), the PSA has declared a deadlock after the government presented a final offer of 2% salary increase for 2022/23.
The dispute declared by the PSCBC is set down for conciliation on August 3, and the union has informed its members that while it understands that they have an appetite to embark on a strike due to dissatisfaction with the offer tabled by the government, that action must comply with legal procedures for it to be protected and therefore correct procedures must be followed.
"If the matter is not resolved at conciliation, a notice of non-resolution will be issued, which will entitle the PSA to strike," the union told its members.
Sars, in the revised offer, has promised staff that their non-monetary demands will be further discussed and concluded in the national bargaining forum.
All parties will commence engagement at the forum on the employee-value proposition that will be inclusive of financial and non-financial benefits to employees, according to the revised offer.
Among the non-monetary demands tabled by labour - the PSA and Cosatu affiliate, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) - is a mandatory requirement that in all vacancies first preference should be given to internal staff.
They also want an independent standing statutory committee dealing with appeals for disciplinary cases which will be autonomous, because they believe that the Sars’s employee relations’ division is currently both player and referee as it approves charges as well as the outcomes of hearings in most cases.
The PSA and Nehawu are also demanding a suspensions committee that will have an independent view of recommendations in line with the policy, as they believe currently management uses suspensions in order to victimise, silence and/or as a means of being punitive to employees instead of implementing policy.
Sars has been hard hit by the over a week-long strike and announced that by Friday morning 34 branches across the country were closed and were servicing clients virtually.
"Sars apologises for any inconvenience caused but due to the industrial action taking place across Sars, we are experiencing delays in servicing our taxpayers," the revenue collection entity said.
It promised that while some of its branches and offices may be closed to the public, they will continue to honour virtual appointments as booked.