Members of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) have given mandate to the Union to go ahead
4 September 2009
Members of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) have given mandate to the Union to go ahead and sign the government’s revised salary offer. The offer presented by the employer on Tuesday night was a victory for SADTU, other COSATU-affiliated unions and labour collective in the public service sector as it gave them what they had been asking for a double-digit increase. The increase is on a sliding scale between 13 and 10% with effect from 1 July 2009. The offer also met the union’s other demands such as finalization of all outstanding issues from Resolution 1 of 2007 and a comprehensive review of the remuneration policy.
The COSATU Public Sector unions, through the Joint Mandating Committee made up of national office bearers, had demanded in the chamber on Tuesday evening that the employer revise its first offer of an 8,5% across the board increase which would also be inclusive of the two percent shortfall emanating from the Resolution 1 of 2007. The offer would in real terms, translate to no real increment based on the inflation rate of 6.9%.
SADTU is happy with the fact that the negotiations were resolved amicably without resorting to strike action. SADTU is committed to the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign and the new approach by the new administration, of negotiating in good faith will restore confidence in the collective bargaining processes which were characterized by arrogance and abuse of power by the employer in the past.
Issued by: SADTU Secretariat