Campaigns Bulletin : Wage negotiations 2000
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Apr 2000
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English, Zulu, seSotho and Afrikaans
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/113558 , vital:33801
- Description: It is sad how the promises of a better life for all made by the government means so little for workers. Cosatu and Samwu mobilised our forces to ensure a victory for the ANC in the national and local government elections. Despite the fact that workers have put MPs into parliament and councillors into local government councils, we have yet to see any real benefit for workers. The 3rd and final round of negotiations delivered a big disappointment for Samwu. Once again we went into negotiations with high hopes of persuading Saiga to implement decent wage increases. Samwu’s position of R250 or 10% for workers earning less than R6 700 per month was very reasonable. Because we said that those earning more than R13 700 should get a 7% increase, this meant that the total cost to councils was only 9%, which is very affordable. Saiga moved its position in negotiations by 1%. They also tried to get us to give up our demand for a R250 increase by offering a minimum wage of R1600. As we know, most workers are earning more than that. Workers earning R1600 Saiga's 5% will mean a R80 increase. This is less than councillor's get for attending one meeting! Although the negotiators tried everything to try to reach a settlement, Saiga frustrated us at every turn.
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Workers News - Millennium of struggle kicks off
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Feb 2000
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English, Zulu, seSotho and Afrikaans
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/113589 , vital:33804
- Description: Wages have kicked off! SAMWU submitted a demand to the employer, which is a minimum wage of R1600 and a sliding scale increase of 15% for those earning R1600 per month down to 8% for those earning R20 000. We are waiting on the employer to table their response. We need to talk about the 6% capping on municipal expenditure. The cap has meant that municipalities cannot offer wage increases above the 6% limit. If there is any cap on this year's budget to be announced in February, the union will challenge this very strongly. In Joburg the union is fighting the iGoli 2002 plan tooth and nail! This plan will sell most of the city's assests. Services will be run by private companies who are not accountable to the citizens of Johannesburg. SAMWU tried very hard to negotiate with the council. The union even went to mediation. But late in December, mediation collapsed. The Council was not prepared to listen to any proposals to transform the city, or to raise the money to extend services. The dispute has gone to NEDLAC, but is unlikely to be resolved here. iGoli 2002 affects workers across the country. It is being copied in Pretoria and Cape Town. All comrades must think about what course of action to take to defend our services and our jobs. Good news in this regard is that a few weeks ago, COSATU came out strongly in support of SAMWU in this case. Please read the article on page 17 and intensify the discussion about restructuring and privatisation in COSATU locals. SAMWU comrades must take responsibility for making sure that all COSATU members are prepared to fight for decent services that are affordable for all. The Framework Agreement was accepted at the Bargaining Council as a Bargaining Council Agreement. Shopstewards must demand this agreement from the offices. We need to be aware of restructuring issues especially now that employers are undermining these agreements.
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