NUM IS STILL DEMANDING A 15% WAGE INCREASE AT ESKOM, NOT 5% AS SOME MEDIA HOUSES REPORTED

June 16, 2021

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) would like to clarify to the public about some media houses that reported that the NUM has revised its 15% wage increase in Eskom negotiations to 5%. The NUM wants to put it on record that we did not revise our offer. The NUM has not revised the 15% salary increase and other benefits at Eskom.

On the 10th of June 2021 the NUM, NUMSA and Solidarity met with Eskom at the CCMA Head Office in Johannesburg. The purpose of the meeting was conciliation and mediation after Eskom aborted the negotiations and referred the case to CCMA. In the meeting, Eskom failed to change their so-called offer. Conciliation is off the record and whatever is discussed in conciliation is not binding to any party.

The NUM is still demanding 15% with all other conditions of service and organizational rights. We cannot move if there is no offer on the table. The so-called offer by Eskom is not an offer. The condition that we must allow the varying down of our hard-earned condition of service is madness. We are not fools who will agree to give more to Eskom and receive less from them.

The NUM is urging all its members not to be misled by the media reports that the NUM has revised its offer from 15% to 5%. The NUM negotiating team will only get the mandate to revise the offer from its members who are the owners of the union. We need to continue with our legal pickets and memorandum’s handover in all workplaces.

Statement issued by William Mabapa, NUM Acting General Secretary, 16 June 2021