Johannesburg - Teachers will not benefit from a new pay offer by the state for public servants, teachers' union Naptosa said on Wednesday.
National Professional Teachers' Organisation of SA
president Ezrah Ramasehla said the union had come to realise this "on
closer analysis".
Naptosa welcomed an invitation to return to the bargaining table to find an amicable solution.
"(But) the statements made by (Public Service) Minister (Lindiwe Sisulu) need to be put into proper perspective," Ramasehla
said.
Sisulu said on Tuesday that the government had offered
civil servants a 9% raise, made up of a 6.5% salary
rise and a 2.5% increase in benefits.
The government offer included the recognition of long
service, an increase in night shift allowance, a cash bonus of 10% of an employee's salary on improvement of qualifications, and an
increase in shop steward, family responsibility, and pre-natal leave.
It also offered an increase in the monthly housing
allowance from R800 to R900 with the allowance to be converted into a
subsidy towards a bond on the introduction of the government employees
housing scheme, said Sisulu.
Ramasehla said the increase and the benefits would affect teachers differently.
The 6.5% salary increase was 0.6% above
National Treasury's projected consumer price index of 5.9% for
2012/13. This meant the "real increase" was only 0.6%, he said.
The night shift allowance did not apply to teachers, so it did not form part of the increased wages.
"The cash bonus for improved qualifications will only
come into effect in January 2013 and the cash bonus will be paid on
successful completion of the studies, which may be in 2014 or even
later," Ramasehla said.
He said there were also "no guarantees" on the increased housing allowance.
"Indications are that the allowance will be converted
into a subsidy towards a bond once the housing scheme is implemented,
and those employees who do not have a bond will forfeit their
allowance."