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Johannesburg - A possible strike at Eskom has been temporarily averted until Monday, trade union Solidarity said on Thursday.
Solidarity deputy general secretary Dirk Hermann said Eskom made a final offer of an 8% wage increase for its workers, as well as a once-off bonus of 1% of their annual salary.
"We will take the offer to our members and will get a final mandate from them on Monday," said Hermann.
While he cannot talk for the other unions which represented workers at the national power utility, the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), Hermann said they were all in agreement with the decision.
"We are all simunye [we are one]," he said.
Hermann said there was still a dispute between Eskom and the unions on a housing subsidy, but the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) mediator wanted a further meeting with Eskom over the issue.
The workers demanded a housing subsidy of R5 000 per month, as management was apparently recently granted a "similar" perk, said Hermann.
The unions had demanded an increase of 15%.
The new offer was made during a meeting at the CCMA in Johannesburg on late Thursday afternoon.
Hermann said there was still the possibility of a strike, but a decision would only be taken on Monday.
"I don't want to say the strike is off, but it has been averted until Monday," he said.
- Sapa
