Public Sector trade unions declare dispute with government

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Cosatu-affiliated public sector trade unions have declared a dispute with government after wage talks broke down on Tuesday.

The unions accused government of negotiating in bad faith after government dropped its 6.9% wage offer back to 6.7% while they're seeking 7.9%.

The spokesperson for the Cosatu unions, Mugwena Maluleke, says their patience is wearing thin.

"As the public sector unions of Cosatu we have today decided that we will declare a dispute and then demand that there be an appointment of a mediator in the form of a commissioner so that we can mediate this particular process in order to break the deadlock and then we will be able to inform by the process we will then be engaging in" Maluleke said.

While they've now called for mediation, Maluleke says there's always the option of a strike.

"Well as you would know that it takes 30 days for the mediation process to take and then thereafter if there is no settlement then there will be a certificate of non settlement which then will give us the right to embark on industrial action but for now we have only embarked on a declaration of a dispute" Maluleke said.