WAGE NEGOTIATIONS
Tough demands from public service unions as talks start
Public service unions entered 2017’s wage negotiations with tough demands. Among these are the abolishment of the bottom three salary levels in the public service as well as the lifting of the moratorium on the filling of vacancies. In his medium-term budget policy statement in October, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba raised concern at the ballooning public service wage bill swallowing up much of the budgets of provincial government departments. This forced them to take on debt just to deliver services. The challenge was partly being addressed through a freeze on the filling of vacancies in the public service, acting director-general at the Department of Public Service and Administration Sam Vukela told Parliament’s portfolio committee on public service and administration on Wednesday. Unions complained that the freeze affected service delivery. Labour’s submission to the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council said that restrictions on "accelerated grade progression were dep...
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