Agreement breached: No sign of a wage increase for public workers

Public service workers woke up to the same old salary payment on Wednesday 15 April after they were supposed to receive a wage increase from the government. This is now in direct contravention of a 2018 agreement.

According to EWN, the 2018 wage agreement states that public workers in salary levels one to seven were meant to receive 5.4% in increases, salary levels eight to 10, 4.9%, while those on 11 and 12 should have received 4.4%. 

PSA assured of public worker’s wage increase

The Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA), which has thousands of members in the sector, said it was preparing to launch a court application against the government for the breach in the agreement. 

PSA took to Facebook on Wednesday stating that the employer had failed to implement the wage increases for public workers after an agreement had been reached.

“Members were previously informed of developments regarding the implementation of the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) Resolution 1/2018. It is unfortunate that the employer has failed to implement the salary increases as per clause 3.3 of the resolution,” it said. 

The PSA said it sent several letters to Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu, inquiring about the implementation of the agreement.  

“In his response, he indicated that the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) is fully committed to the implementation of PSCBC Resolution 1/2018” and remains bound by the provisions of the resolution,” it said. 

Breach in public worker wage agreement 

The PSA said it is highly disappointing to learn that the wage increases were not implemented for public workers.  

“The PSA was, however, extremely disappointed when it came to the Union’s attention that no increases have been effected on Persal or pay slips that were due on 15 April 2020,” it said. 

“The PSA previously informed members that it has instructed its attorneys to approach the Labour Court to enforce the collective agreement for payment of salary increases. The notice of motion will be served on all parties where after the matter will be referred to the Labour Court for adjudication,” it added. 

PSA said it would inform its members of any developments.

Cosatu claims a lack of wage increases would destabilise the sector 

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), ahead of the Budget Speech in February, said a review of wage increases would destabilise the public service. 

A review would have seen the non-implementation of a signed agreement — meaning that the hardworking public servants would not see any salary increase for the year 2020/2021. 

“This irresponsible and blatant act of provocation will seriously destabilise the public service and we warn the government to abandon this idea and give workers what is due to them on 1 April 2020,” it said. 

“The National Treasury’s fixation with cutbacks in public service in the context of continued job shedding in the private sector has severe implications for poverty and unemployment. This reckless approach will cause serious long-term problems for the economy.

“If the national democratic revolution is to remain relevant, the working class needs to score some gains and these gains must take the form of a reduction in the rate of exploitation of employed labour. Cosatu will not allow the working class to be used as cannon-fodder for the country’s capitalist system to recover from the crisis,” it added.