By: Bright Ntuli
The Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) has called on the South African Local Government Association (Salga) to return to the negotiating table with a revised wage offer that genuinely benefits municipal workers.
The union has rejected Salga’s proposed 3.75% wage increase, insisting instead on an 8% raise.
Salga, which represents the country’s municipalities, is currently in discussions with Samwu regarding wage adjustments and other employment conditions.
The third round of negotiations is scheduled to take place from the 12th to the 16th of this month. In anticipation of these talks, Samwu’s Dumisane Magagula has emphasised that workers are prepared to vigorously defend their rights to collective bargaining and the pursuit of a living wage.
Magagula detailed several demands that the union has put forward, including a 60–40 medical aid subsidy, service stands for municipal workers, and an extension of maternity, paternity, and adoption leave to five months.
The outcome of these negotiations will be closely watched, as they have significant implications for municipal workers across the country.
