Pretoria - Government has tabled a revised salary increase for public servants at the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council.
Government is offering a 6.5 percent wage increase across the board and an increase in the housing allowance of R630. The proposed salary adjustment sees a 0.5 percent increase in the housing allowance.
It is unclear if the offer has been accepted by the unions involved in the dispute, which include the Public Service Association, Cosatu which represents a number of unions and Sadtu. PSA members yesterday downed tools across the country.
Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi said today he was ready to sign an agreement with the labour unions on the revised salary increase for public servants. "My pen is ready to sign off a draft resolution for the implementation of the settlement," he said, briefing the media in Pretoria.
"The offer as tabled by the employer yesterday is a reasonable and fair offer given the trends developed in relation to how the state determines salary increases," Baloyi said, adding that the offer was compliant with government affordability and in line with the Wage Bill.
He urged labour to consider the final offer and to accept the offer as reasonable and fair given the implications it has on all the people of South Africa.
Unions have adjusted their initial demand of an 11 percent general salary increase to 8.6 percent and additional R1000 for a monthly housing allowance, as opposed to their first offer of R1 650.
Government and the labour union representatives are set to meet again next Wednesday, which Baloyi hopes will be when the agreement will be finalised.
