As the public sector trade union that is admitted at the PSCBC, DENOSA (SAMATU, SAEPU and PAWUSA), which had boycotted the 2023/24 wage negotiations while the 2022/23 negotiations had not been concluded finally reached an agreement with the employer to include the outstanding 2022/23 negotiation issues into the 2023/24 talks.
The agreement between the parties was finalised and signed on 14 March 2023 as part of the facilitation process that was facilitated by the PSCBC.
This follows four months of the non-resolved issue of the outstanding 2022/23 public sector wage negotiations at PSCBC, which saw the government implementing the 3% salary increase to public servants unilaterally, marches, boycotting and protesting by the aggrieved unions.
The government had called a special Council seating on 17 February where the employer formally tabled a wage offer for 2023/24 to the unions without giving the unions the opportunity to first collect mandate from their members, as the norm of the PSCBC.
The 8 aggrieved unions had announced, a day before that, that they had boycotted the negotiations until the 2022/23 issues are resolved first.
The agreement will see DENOSA (SAMATU, SAEPU and PAWUSA) back in the Council.
Explaining the settlement agreement
DENOSA (SAMATU, SAEPU, PAWUSA) were refusing to proceed to the 2022/23 negotiations that have not been concluded and commence the 2023/24 negotiations.
As a result, we refused to move from the room where negotiations have not been concluded to the room where new financial year’s negotiations have commenced.
In the settlement agreement, the employer is committing to include the 2022/23 outstanding matter into the 2023/24 negotiations.
As a result, we will now move over to the 2023/24 where negotiations are taking place and represent the interest of our members fully.
The settlement agreement by the parties is summarised in the following words:
– That there will be cessation of hostilities between the parties;
– Orderly return to work for employees on strike over a 24-hour period of signing of the agreement;
– Implementation of a “no work, no pay” deductions;
– That the employer is committing to including the 2022/23 outstanding demands into the 2023/24 wage negotiations that are currently underway at PSCBC;
– That the employer will engage on the demands of the 2022/23 wage negotiations positively;
– That the unions return to the PSCBC and join the negotiations for the 2023/24 financial year, which will also discuss the outstanding 2022/23 matters positively;
– Conclusion of a Minimum Service Level Agreement (MSLA) by both the employer and the trade unions within six months of conclusion of the 2023/24 wage negotiations; and
- Expedition of the implementation of the Government Employees Housing Scheme (GEHS).
End
