NUM Press Statement, 29 December 2016
NUM welcomes the Labour Court ruling to confirm Eskom's 2013/2014 wage offer
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) welcomes the recent Labour Court ruling to confirm Eskom's position for 2013/2014 final wage offer of 5.6%.
We respect the Labour Court ruling, but we don't think the side of the workers was even considered. The ruling is another unfortunate tragedy for the poor workers. When one person in the executive walks away with millions in salaries, it is seen as normal.
Eskom has huge income differentials and is not doing anything to close the apartheid wage gap. Eskom has consistently refused to close the income differentials but continue to widen the apartheid wage gap. We hope this ruling does not make Eskom hostile in other wage negotiations to come.
The majority of workers at Eskom still earn poverty wages and the NUM will continue fighting for a living wage. It is unacceptable for executives to continue earning millions of salaries and bonuses while the ordinary workers still earn peanuts.
As the NUM, we also need to raise serious concern in the manner in which disputes are being attended to by the Labour Court. This is a 2013 wage dispute and the Labour Court ruling comes after we have already had two more negotiations in 2014 and 2016. It serves no purpose to receive the outcome of that dispute now. The Labour Court ruling has been overtaken by events. This shows that wage disputes in essential services environment are not taken seriously by the courts.
For more information, please contact:
Livhuwani Mammburu: NUM National Spokesperson: 083 809 3257
The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111 Cell: 083 809 3257
Twitter: @Num_Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUM/100860023402167
Get In Touch
Address: 7 Rissik Street, Johannesburg
Contact Person: Thenji Phoko
Email: tphoko@num.org.za
Fax: 018 464-1593
Telephone: 011 377 2198/9
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