Num casts doubt over new Eskom offer

Johannesburg  - The National Union of Mineworkers (Num) said on Friday power utility Eskom has presented a new pay rise offer of 7%, up from the 5.5% offered earlier.
 
The union is demanding a 16% pay rise.
 
“Next week there will be no talks. We will meet the week after to take the discussion forward,” Num spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said.

“In the meantime we will talk to our members to strategise on the way forward. I don’t think our members will accept the 7% at this point in time.”

The Num and members of Solidarity will start a strike in the coal sector on Sunday evening, the Chamber of Mines (COM) said on Friday.

"We have received notice of intention to strike from Num and Solidarity and this will begin from the night shift on Sunday," said chamber spokesperson Frans Barker.

Seshoka said the union would go ahead with the strike because Wednesday's wage negotiations had deadlocked.

The chamber offered a final 8.5% increase for entry level employees and 7% for other employees. This offer was in conjunction with allowances for living out, medical incapacity and medical aid contributions, the COM said.

The Num is demanding 14%.

Fuel sector talks

Meanwhile, renewed talks between striking unions and fuel sector employers are set to begin on Friday, the bargaining council for the chemical industry said.

On Thursday, Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu) spokesperson Simon Mofokeng said: "We are hopeful that when we meet there will be a better offer worth considering."

He said the union stood by its demands of a 11% to 13% wage increase, a total ban on labour brokers and a minimum wage of R6 000.

On Monday marathon talks between the parties yielded an offer of 8%, which was not accepted. The strike has crippled fuel deliveries in inland areas.