The country’s 1.2 million civil servants are still in the dark about when they’ll receive the 1.5% salary increase that government and public sector unions agreed on three months ago.
The Public Service and Administration Department wrote to the workers two weeks ago informing them that the date for the payment would be announced soon, but there’s still no word.
Government would also find itself under more pressure if the Constitutional Court were to rule in favour of unions after it reneged on paying civil servants a 7% increase last year as per the Public Sector Wage Agreement of 2018.
A Police Union Spokesperson, Lesiba Thobakgale says they are calling on t government to accelerate the payment process.
“Any further delays are going to inconvenience our members. We also calling on government to speed up the 1.5% payment so that our members can benefit while we are waiting for the outcome of the Constitutional Court in terms of the last leg of PCB resolution of 2018,” says Thobakgale.
Wage agreement | Civil servants yet to receive 1.5% salary hike
Union slams government for exclusion of police in monthly cash allowance for civil servants
The South African Police Union has slammed government for the exclusion of police officers in the monthly cash allowance to civil servants.
In terms of the new Public Sector Wage Agreement that was reached by government and public sector unions, civil servants are set to receive a monthly cash allowance of between R1 200 and R1 695 on a sliding scale backdated to April this year.
The new wage agreement also provides for a 1.5% wage increase across the board.
But unions say the government won’t say when the wage increase will be implemented.
It has only committed to start paying them monthly cash gratuity excluding police officers.
Spokesperson for the South African Police Union says, Lesiba Thobakgale says, “We had a meeting on Thursday – a PSCBC meeting where we were checking the state of readiness in terms of the implementation of the collective agreement that was concluded at the PSBC and we asked the employer whether they are ready to pay for all departments. They said they are ready to pay for all department except SAPS where they are having delays. In terms of reasons behind that, they could not give reasons and it really brings discomfort to our members because our members had budgeted on this amount of money. They were waiting to receive it.”
Unions and government lock horns over Public Sector Wage Agreement: