Municipal strike threat as Samwu shrugs off 7% offer
A nationwide strike that will cripple municipal services is on the cards. The SA Municipal Workers' Union, the biggest trade union in the local government sector, failed to meet last week's deadline for responding to the facilitator's proposal.According to Samwu insiders, municipal workers rejected the increase initially offered by the SA Local Government Associa-tion, and now the latest offer by the facilitator.After failed talks between Samwu and the association, the facilitator proposed a 7% increase effective from July 1 for the 2015-2016 financial year.This includes a minimum wage increase to R6014.93 a month, a special-purpose medical aid scheme and increases in homeowners' allowances.Samwu spokesman Papiki Mohale said the union had failed to respond to the facilitator's proposal because it wanted to discuss it at its central executive committee meeting next month.Samwu is demanding an across-the-board increase of 15%, or R4000, for all employees.Salga spokesman Tahir Sema said the association had decided to accept the facilitator's current proposal."This is an attempt to reach an agreement in the local government sector," said Sema...
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