The National Union of Mineworkers is calling on Eskom’s management to head their members’ demands for bonuses.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is the latest union to seek bonuses from Eskom for its members, amid ongoing wage negotiations which resumed on Friday. The power utility put two offers on the table, a three-year seven percent wage increase with a housing allowance and a 7.5 percent increase for two years thereafter, without a housing allowance, as an alternative. NUM, the National Union of Metalworkers (NUMSA) and Solidarity have still not reached an agreement with the power producer.
NUM insists that Eskom’s refusal to grant bonuses would have a bearing on negotiations. “We remain adamant that the bonus payment is a deal breaker. Without a bonus, there will be no agreement as per our members’ mandate. As the NUM we demand that Eskom pay the hard working workers who averted loadshedding their bonuses”, said spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu.
The power utility, which recently secured a R33 billion loan from China’s state bank, announced that due its financial constraints, it would not be able to fork out bonuses for staff.
NUMSA has also called on Eskom to fork out the bonuses, saying that employees had performed well and deserved to be compensated. “…our members are entitled to their bonuses, which they contracted for at the beginning of the financial year. Our members had a performance contract with Eskom. They have met their part and Eskom leadership must now do their part and reward them”, said the union’s Phakamile Hlubi-Majola.
Thabo Baloyi
t.baloyi@politicalanalysis.co.za
