Operations at the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) were brought to a standstill yesterday morning as workers downed tools to protest for pay increases.
About 200 South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) members from all ECDC offices gathered outside the corporation’s head office in East London demanding a 10% salary increase and 10% housing allowance increase.
However, the corporation said it could not afford a double-digit salary increase at this stage.
The workers held placards displaying their demands inside the Ocean Terrace Office Park, where the ECDC office is located in Quigney.
Saccawu chairman Sithembele Mhlana said the decision to strike was taken during the union’s general meeting last Saturday after wage negotiations between management and the union reached a deadlock.
Mhlana said wage negotiations commenced in March this year, a few weeks before the yearly salary reviews on April 1.
“We initially demanded a 15% increase on salaries and 10% increase on housing allowance but management only offered 6% on the wages and no offer was made on the housing allowance,” said Mhlana.
Mhlana said the housing allowance was currently 20% of the workers’ basic wages.
“After numerous negotiation meetings with management the union’s wage increase demand was dropped to 11%. However, the ECDC did not budge from its initial offer of 6%. This resulted in the wage dispute,” said Mhlana.
At beginning of August the wage dispute was then escalated to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). “With the intervention of the CCMA we dropped our wage demand to 10% and management increased their offer only by 0.5%,” said Mhlana.
Saccawu secretary Zoliswa Mnqokoyi said the housing allowance had not been increased for over a decade.
Responding to questions sent by the Dispatch, ECDC CEO Sandile Sentwa said the corporation could not afford a double-digit salary increase at this stage.
Sentwa said they were aware of the disruption the strike had.
Both parties said they were open to further negotiations. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
VIDEO: ECDC workers want more
About 200 South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) members from all ECDC offices gathered outside the corporation’s head office in East London demanding a 10% salary increase and 10% housing allowance increase.
However, the corporation said it could not afford a double-digit salary increase at this stage.
The workers held placards displaying their demands inside the Ocean Terrace Office Park, where the ECDC office is located in Quigney.
Saccawu chairman Sithembele Mhlana said the decision to strike was taken during the union’s general meeting last Saturday after wage negotiations between management and the union reached a deadlock.
Mhlana said wage negotiations commenced in March this year, a few weeks before the yearly salary reviews on April 1.
“We initially demanded a 15% increase on salaries and 10% increase on housing allowance but management only offered 6% on the wages and no offer was made on the housing allowance,” said Mhlana.
Mhlana said the housing allowance was currently 20% of the workers’ basic wages.
“After numerous negotiation meetings with management the union’s wage increase demand was dropped to 11%. However, the ECDC did not budge from its initial offer of 6%. This resulted in the wage dispute,” said Mhlana.
At beginning of August the wage dispute was then escalated to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). “With the intervention of the CCMA we dropped our wage demand to 10% and management increased their offer only by 0.5%,” said Mhlana.
Saccawu secretary Zoliswa Mnqokoyi said the housing allowance had not been increased for over a decade.
Responding to questions sent by the Dispatch, ECDC CEO Sandile Sentwa said the corporation could not afford a double-digit salary increase at this stage.
Sentwa said they were aware of the disruption the strike had.
Both parties said they were open to further negotiations. — arethal@dispatch.co.za
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