Africa-Press – South-Africa. South Africa’s largest trade union in the local government sector, the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu), is set to table numerous demands for its members – including a 15% or R6,000 wage increase for all municipal workers.
Other demands that Samwu are making include:
R3,000 housing allowance;
Increasing sectoral minimum wage from R9,000 to R15,000;
Six months of fully paid maternity, paternity and adoption leave;
70% employer contribution to medical aid;
Provision of “service stands” for municipal workers to build homes.
Citing the rising cost of living, inflation, and the consumer price index (CPI), the union representing more than 160,000 of the country’s estimated 350,000 municipal workers has brought forward these demands ahead of its current wage agreement that is coming to an end on 30 June.
An initial three-year wage deal was struck in 2021, where parties agreed to increases of 3.5% (2021/22), 4.9% (2022/23) and 5.4% (2023/24).
New wage talks with the South African Local Government Bargaining Council will begin later on this month.
“We believe that municipalities should be paying these salaries… [because workers] should be getting what they deserve for the service that they give,” said union secretary, Dumisane Magagula in an interview with eNCA.
With inflation sitting at 6%, Magagula said that a 15% wage increase is “very minimal”, and the union is rather asking for the “correction” of salaries, which he says are far too low.
“We can’t be having breadwinners earning less than R10,000,” said Magagula, explaining that all entry-level positions for municipal workers should have a wage of R15,000 (increase of R6,000).
The next round of wage negotiations will follow widely publicized standoffs between municipalities and municipal workers that, in some instances, brought service delivery.
Last year, the City of Tshwane cited a shortage of funds – R600 million worth – for being unable to implement the final stage of a wage deal. Tshwane applied for an exemption; however was unsuccessful.
Metro employees in Tshwane had been involved in numerous work stoppages over four months as a result, during which municipal property, including garbage trucks and other infrastructure, had been damaged and set on fire.
However, many municipalities are facing fiscal constraints, which has left many wondering if such demands by the union are feasible when many so many municipalities either say that they do not have the funds, or are continuing to tighten their purse strings.
Many of these are seen to have been exacerbated by corruption and maladministration, which have adversely affected service delivery – leading to 123 of the country’s 257 municipalities being investigated by the Hawks.
Additionally, many have sought to readjust their budgets downwards as they face the threat of massive grant cuts from Treasury.
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