subscribe Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Subscribe now
Eskom's Kusile coal-fired power station in Mpumalanga, December 18 2018. Picture: WALDO SWIEGERS/BLOOMBERG
Eskom's Kusile coal-fired power station in Mpumalanga, December 18 2018. Picture: WALDO SWIEGERS/BLOOMBERG

Eskom Rotek Industries (ERI) employees will now enjoy the same benefits as their colleagues at cash-strapped Eskom after recently reaching an above-inflation pay deal .

ERI is an Eskom subsidiary providing construction, maintenance and transportation services to the power utility’s operations.

Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said the multi-term wage agreement will see Rotek employees — just like their Eskom counterparts — receive increases of 7% a year for three years.

The deal, which is effective from July 1 to June 30 2026,  includes a 7% annual rise in housing allowance for the period of the agreement. Lowest-paid employees who are party to the central bargaining forum will get taxable payments of R10,000 for the first two years.

In June, Eskom management, Numsa, Solidarity, and the National Union of Mineworkers signed a similar agreement at the central bargaining forum, which was hailed for bringing labour stability to Eskom’s operations. Eskom, however, has refused to disclose the true cost of the pay deal, saying the total will depend on factors such as staff numbers.

Jim said on Friday that SA’s biggest union managed to secure an inflation-based increase for three years “is definitely an achievement given the current economic climate”.

Headline inflation eased to a 13-month low of 6.3% in May from 6.8% in April, 7.1% in March and 7% in February.

Numsa has been demanding above-inflation increases to offset the rising cost of living that has seen a sharp increase in food, electricity, transport and fuel costs. The union has clinched several wage deals across the various sectors.

Two weeks ago, Numsa reached a one-year above-inflation wage increase of 8% across the board for Gautrain workers, weeks after threatening to embark on a strike.

In June, the union, which is affiliated to the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), signed a multiyear wage agreement with Eskom that will see all nonmanagerial staff getting increases of 7% each year for three years.

In May, Numsa signed a multi-term wage agreement with ArcelorMittal SA that will result in workers in the industry receiving increases of 6.5%.

mkentanel@businesslive.co.za

subscribe Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.