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Johannesburg - The first round of wage talks between the SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) and the SA Local Government Association (Salga) began in Boksburg on Monday.
"The parties have a huge mountain to climb after Salga responded with a below inflation increase in response to the joint demands of the trade unions," Samwu spokesman Tahir Sema said in a statement.
Samwu and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union, have proposed an across the board increase of 15 percent or R2000 (whichever is greater) for employees under the scope of the SA Local Government Bargaining Council
They have also proposed a minimum wage of R6000, the filling of vacant posts in municipal-approved organisations on a full-time basis, and that the salary and wage collective agreement apply only to the 2012/2013 financial year.
Salga had responded with a four-percent wage increase across the board, no minimum wage for the sector and no filling of vacancies, said Sema.
Salga had also proposed terminating the conditions of service agreement and the existing disciplinary procedure and capping existing maximum contributions by employers to medical aid schemes.
He said no wage agreement was reached for the 2011/2012 financial year.
Samwu embarked on a five-day strike in July 2009, a nine-day strike in April 2010 and a two-week long strike in August following the break down of wage negotiations.
