LOUIS TRICHARDT – SAMWU members this week took to the streets as part of a nation-wide strike, following failed wage negotiations.

The parties to the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC), viz. SALGA, IMATU and SAMWU, commenced salary negotiations on 11 April this year in Johannesburg. During the second round of negotiations on 29 April a dispute was declared regarding the failure to reach agreement regarding salaries. The dispute was referred for mediation and meetings were held on 16 May and 5 June to try and reach an agreement.

Both IMATU and SALGA obtained a mandate from their members to accept the mediator's proposal which entailed a 3-year wage agreement of an 8% across-the-board wage increase for the 2002/3 financial year, followed by a Consumer Price Index (CPIX) plus 1% increase for the 2003/4 financial year and a CPIX plus 1,5% increase for the 2004/5 financial year. SAMWU, however, rejected this offer and indicated that they would embark on industrial action from 2 July.

At a local level, the Makhado Municipal Council decided to apply for exemption of the 8% wage increase during last month's council meeting. This was due to the fact that they had only budgeted for a 5,5% across-the-board increase for the 2002/3 financial year. They did, however, in principle accept the mediator's proposal in respect of the 2003/4 and 2004/5 financial year and stipulated that provision be made accordingly in future estimates.

SAMWU members' plea for higher wages comes amidst Council's efforts to appoint six full-time directors directly accountable to the Municipal Manager. These appointments will be done at an additional salary cost of close to R2,5milllion a year. The striking workers reflected their sentiment regarding this matter by displaying posters reading: "Phantsi managers and councillors eating themselves fat while we workers starve." Council this week again decided to hold the matter regarding the appointment of these six directors in abeyance during a special council meeting. The reason cited for this being "to give the different committees handling the issue time to finalise the process."