Special Note: Happy 36th Anniversary to COSATU. Formed December 1985

On the return to the negotiations on the 5th of August 2022, all the COSATU unions organising in the public service have collectively rejected the offer of 2% increase on the baseline.

In its current form, the offer from the employer is not addressing the cost of living crisis the workers and their communities are experiencing. The unions have demanded that the employer improves the current offer.

The latest economic indicators such as 7.4% CPI, the prime lending rate of 8.25% and the cost of transport and electricity are some of the reasons provided by the members in rejecting the 2% on baseline increase.

The current offer is 2% on baseline and the continuation of the cash gratuity.

The cash gratuity doesn't affect the baseline and the workers demand a baseline increase that takes into account the cost of living crisis over and above the cash gratuity.

The employer has been given until the 12th of August to table a revised offer to labour.

Labour is united in demanding from the employer responsibility and accountability to the people of our country who rely on the public service. The employer cannot justify why public servants must accept 2% on a baseline increase while the public office bearers received a 3% on baseline increase.

This undermining of the critical work the public servants are doing must stop with immediate effect. The employer must stop declaring a strike against the workers and the people of our country who depend on public services.

This position by labour means that we are heading for a dispute should there be no positive response when the employer comes back, especially considering that the Public Office Bearers were given a 3% increment backdated to 2021.

We believe that our demands are reasonable, and we stand resolute to advance them and equally ready to defend them through any means at our disposal.

End.

For information and comment, contact:

Simon Hlungwani, JMC Convener: 082 328 9635.

Amandla!