UPDATE ON PUBLIC SECTOR WAGE NEGOTIATIONS

1 Mandating Committee (JMC) meeting where UPDATE ON PUBLIC SECTOR they will be consolidating the demands from wage NEGOTIATIONS workers in preparation for the reconvening of the NEGOTIATIONS on 12 February at PSCBC in Centurion. Members are urged to attend and fully participate in these meetings and give their input in their feedback institutional meetings. Below is the summary of the response from the employer to our demands as workers.. From DENOSA's Organising, Bargaining and Campaigns Unit 1. Term of agreement This is the second UPDATE since the previous - Labour demanded a single term.

2 One after we submitted our demands as - Employer is offering a three-year organised labour at the PSCBC for PUBLIC SECTOR multi-term agreement. employees. 2. Form of adjustment & Percentage. Subsequent to the UPDATE where organised labour submitted its demands to the employer - Labour demanded a sliding scale at the PUBLIC SECTOR Coordinating Bargaining with the following percentage Council (PSCBC), the employer returned to the range 10 up to 12% within the PSCBC with the counter offer to organised salary levels. labour from 9 to 26 January 2018. In essence - The employer is offering for the the employer acceded to some demands, and first year CPI + Level 1-7.

3 Did not concede to others. The employer had - CPI +1% Level 8-10. requested a two-week break from the - CPI + Level 11-12. NEGOTIATIONS until 12 February 2018 for For the second year reconvening of the NEGOTIATIONS at the Council. - CPI + Level 1-7. - CPI + Level 8-10. This period also gave all trade unions an - CPI Level 11-12. opportunity to give feedback to their members For the third year about the response of the employer to their - CPI + Level 1-7. demands, and to get a new mandate from - CPI + Level 8-10. workers on the way forward in areas where - CPI Level 11-12.

4 Employers did not accede to workers' demands. It is a matter that unions are currently going 3. Pay progression through, giving feedback to workers on the ground through their structures. In essence, this - Labour demanded the equalisation means the NEGOTIATIONS have until March to be of percentage to to all sectors concluded as April marks the beginning of the on annual basis and the removal of new financial year. the ceiling on employees who are on personal notches. After this process, COSATU unions will meet on - Employer conceded to labour 9 February at COSATU to attend the Joint demand on equalisation of UPDATE ON PUBLIC SECTOR wage NEGOTIATIONS 1.

5 Percentages to on annual Temporary incapacity leave basis, but did not agree with labour on the removal of the ceiling on - Labour demand is to be granted by employees who are on personal default to employees where the notches. employer fails to comply with the - They further propose that sectors time frame for investigation and should be responsible for the feed-back (30 days). Hospitalisation implementation thereof. leave should be approved automatically and not be subjected 4. Leave dispensation to the normal approval process. - Employer is proposing that they will Family responsibility leave be developing a guiding document o temporary Incapacity Leave and - Labour demanded the increase of table such with the reviewed policy leave days and the removal of the on ill health retirement in the 18 years cap on the definition of the PSCBC for consultation.

6 Child. - Labour subsequently requested - The employer responded by saying that a time frame should be the demands the removal of the 18. attached to such a process and years cap for children who have proposed the end of February 2018. severe special needs is catered for in Resolution 2 of 2015 clause 4, but Capped Leave labour position was not only limited to children who has special needs - Labour demanded that the only but also normal children who employer should pay employees for are below 21 years who are still their capped leave days on under the care of their parents.

7 Resignation. Surrogacy leave - The employer does not want to accede to this demand stating that - The employer conceded to labour leave days is a privilege not a right. demands for the above mentioned - Leave for religious observant dispensation such leave will be - Labour demanded that 3 days per equivalent to maternity to a period annum) to be granted to PUBLIC of four (4) months commencing Service Act personnel. from the expected date of birth of the child. - Employer does not want to accede to this demand. Shop steward Leave 5. Housing - Employer conceded to labour - Labour demanded that the Housing demand that days used by a shop Allowance to be increased to steward for union activities while R2500-00.

8 On vocational leave shall be converted into shop steward leave - Payment of the housing allowance to dispensation. both spouses who are PUBLIC servants UPDATE ON PUBLIC SECTOR wage NEGOTIATIONS 2. - The savings option in the housing - Labour proposes that in conceding scheme should be made a voluntarily on their demand the employer - Employees should be paid out should consider developing a their savings from the scheme upon mechanism through which the resignation from the PUBLIC service benefit structure for level 1-5 would be enhanced, and some time frame - A definition of a PTO must be drawn such be attached to this process.

9 And circulated to all respective directorates for ease of implementation 7. Comprehensive Danger Allowance - PIC must create a housing investment - Labour demands is a single portfolio that will directly invest in the scheme comprehensive danger insurance in The employer is conceding to the the PUBLIC service in line with PSCBC. delinking of spouses, for the purpose of Resolution 5 of 2015, Clause payment of the housing allowance and that the increase such be still - The addition of identified categories according to resolution 7 of 2015 which by Sectors.

10 That it must be linked to CPI for the - The employer is proposing that preceding year. PSCBC should conduct a research to - Permission to Occupy (PTO) the benchmark within six months from employer is promising to take the the date of the agreement. responsibility to develop a definition and circulate to all 8. Outstanding Matters departments for ease of implementation, however labour is - There is a consensus position that suggesting a time frame of the end says parties agree that the of February 2018. following matters be referred back - PUBLIC Investment Corporation (PIC) to council for a secondary process there is a consensus position that of review that must be completed says the corporation should create within six months from the date of a housing investments portfolio this agreement.