Employees at Eskom power stations in Mpumalanga are continuing with their strike. The workers are demanding a 10% salary increase and improved working conditions among other things. They embarked on an unprotected strike last week Friday, leading to Stage 4 load shedding in the country.
Despite Eskom saying the strike is unprotected, over 100 workers at its Arnot Power Station in Middelburg continued with the industrial action. Security was tight at the power plant’s main entrance. The workers accuse Eskom of not consulting with them before implementing key decisions.
They say they will not return to work until their demands are met.
Eskom says the strike is illegal and workers could face disciplinary action.
Victoria Mphogo of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) says they are rejecting the 1% offer tabled by the employer.
“Our demands, salary increments, No.: 2 is housing allowance; No.: 3 stand by allowance; No.: 4 shift allowance; No.: 5 salary wage gaps. That’s our demand. Even our condition they mustn’t touch. They must leave it like that. You can’t implement without sitting with us down so that we can reach an agreement. Eskom has this tendency of just implementing without consultation,” says Mphogo.
The union says their negotiations with Eskom have collapsed after a series of meetings between workers and the employer failed to yield positive results.
Eskom warns of further rolling blackouts if constraints continue:
