Eskom, labour unions in wage talks
Power utility Eskom is meeting with labour unions at the National Bargaining Forum for a round of wage negotiations.
Labour unions have tabled a 15 percent salary demand for their members at Eskom in early wage negotiations at the entity.
The 7 percent multi-year agreement currently in place comes to an end in June next year.
The talks follow disagreements over the structure of the bargaining process, after the company was broken into three separate entities.
National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says workers must be compensated adequately for helping stabilise the entity.
“It is our view that workers have earned whatever increases and demands that they’ve placed on the table. If you look at Eskom’s overall performance, they have, you know, a profit margin of over R16 billion. And of course, that kind of turnover that kind of performance, the fact that Eskom, as we speak right now, has gone over 600 days without load shedding, that it has an energy availability factor of over 90%. All of it can be attributed into the hard work of workers negotiating right now in this forum, with the employer, and have, it’s important that viewers understand that the lights are on because of the sweat and labour of workers at Eskom.”
Power utility Eskom has assured the public that it will do everything possible to avert any power disruptions, as it begins wage negotiations at the National Bargaining Forum with labour unions.
Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokoena says the entity is committed to a fair and transparent process in safeguarding the grid.
“Eskom tabled its financial position to the unions. The day is focused on finalising the schedule for engagements ahead of the formal commencement of negotiations from 25 to 27 November. We can confirm that operations at all sites are proceeding without disruption. Eskom acknowledges the importance of these negotiations to all employees and remains committed to engaging in good faith with all recognised unions, through the established central bargaining forum.”