The Department of Public Service and Administration has denied media allegations that it has retracted the salary offer it presented to the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC).
Since the cancellation of the 3% salary offer, several media outlets have stated that unions are considering strike action to “persuade the government, through the Public Service and Administration Department, to make a better offer to public servants.”
Director-General of the DPSA Yoliswa Makhasi clarified that it is not true that the government has withdrawn the offer.
“This is in accordance with clause 17.10 (b) of the PSCBC’s constitution, which specifies that ‘if there is no majority support in the council within 21 days, the proposed resolution expires,’” Makhasi explained.
The Director-General stated that the government has been negotiating in good faith and that the offer is still on the table for labor to accept.
During the negotiations, there have been multiple rounds of conversations, during which the employer and the unions have made and rejected numerous proposals and counteroffers, including in areas of major dispute.
As part of negotiations conducted in good faith, the administration proposed a facilitation approach to break impasse. Facilitation occurred between August 26-30, 2022.
Government had previously suggested that employees continue to receive a non-pensionable cash gratuity amounting to an average of R1,000.00 after tax for all employees in salary levels 1 through 12.
This represents an average of 4.5 percent of the R20.52 billion budgeted for salaries in 2022/23.
Labor unions rejected this offer.