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Johannesburg - The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) and the SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) walked out of negotiations with the SA Local Government Association (Salga) on Wednesday.
Salga CEO Xolile George said it had held successful negotiations with the two government unions on Tuesday and were optimistic about this round of talks.
"To the surprise of Salga, the unions decided to abandon the negotiations without justifiable reasons," he said, adding that Salga remained committed to the talks.
George described the unions' declaration of a dispute as premature.
"Salga is left with no alternative, but to consider available options to revive the negotiation process before contemplating any further measures that are in the best interests of its municipalities and the communities at large," he said.
Salga's municipal executive director Rio Nolutshungo said the unions were demanding that certain benefit agreements be made before the talks proceed.
Nolutshungo said this was not the main purpose of the negotiations.
"We have a long-standing agreement created in 2000, and the objective was to review the agreement and see what works and doesn't work, what needs to be changed and what can remain," he said.
He hoped this would not result in a strike.
Imatu said it was growing increasingly frustrated with Salga.
It said Salga had failed to resolve negotiations around the main collective agreement.
Imatu's deputy secretary general Craig Adams said parties to the SA Local Bargaining Council had been negotiating around the new main collective agreement since last year.
Negotiations were now deadlocked as no further progress could be made.
"Unfortunately, Salga has been dragging its heels every step of the way, resulting in very slow progress and time wastage," said Adams.
All the parties would now need to consider their options on how the matter could be taken forward.
"Imatu has gone to great length to motivate and justify all of our proposals yet we are being met with unsubstantiated resistance," he said.
"Now that the parties have officially deadlocked, Imatu will be reviewing its options going forward.
"This may include referring the matter to an interest arbitration, but industrial action has not been ruled out as a possible course of action."
Samwu provincial secretary Giyani Makamu said Salga had been negotiating in bad faith.
"They did not want to improve conditions for workers... and this resulted in a deadlock," he said.
The union would need to go back to the workers to receive a mandate on a way forward.
