Municipal staff score labour victory, get 7% pay rise
The arbitrator ruled the minimum wage, housing allowance and maximum medical aid employer contribution must also increase by 7%.
Several intersections in Pretoria CBD were closed off as a large crowd of South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) members marched to Tshwane House in April 2018. Photo: ANA reporter.
The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) scored an important victory for all municipal workers when a labour dispute was settled in their favour, with a 7% wage hike and a little more for low-income employees.
Yesterday, the arbitrator approved a wage increase in favour of Imatu’s demand.
The impasse followed disputes declared separately by Imatu and the South African Municipal Workers’ Union against the employer’s body, the SA Local Government Association.
The ruling will see all workers get a pay hike of 7% across the board, and those earning R9 000 or less get an extra increase of 0.5% from October 1.
The arbitrator ruled that the minimum wage, housing allowance and maximum medical aid employer contribution must also increase by 7%.
Imatu deputy general secretary: legal and research Craig Adams said the facilitator’s proposal was effective from July 1, so the increases would be backdated.
He said although it was indicated the award was binding on essential services employees only, all parties agreed to convert the facilitator’s proposal into a collective agreement covering all employees.
A process to conclude the collective agreement had begun.
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