Labour unions are returning to work on Friday after their unprotected strike on Thursday‚ but warned that they could kick into “second gear” if wage negotiations with Eskom remain deadlocked.
“Unfortunately that could include a complete national shutdown‚” National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) president Andrew Chirwa said on Thursday.
He said he hoped the power utility “comes to its senses” and returned to the negotiating table within a week.
“The board has already responded positively to meet urgently‚ so there should be meetings rolling in the next day or so.”
Trade unions Numsa‚ the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and Solidarity are protesting against a wage freeze.
The Labour Court granted Eskom an interdict on Thursday against striking unions‚ a day after protests at the power utility led to load shedding across the country.
The court interdicted Num‚ Numsa and Solidarity from any further planned strikes‚ pickets‚ gatherings or marches. Striking workers also may not:
• Block entrances.
• Trip power supplies.
• Hijack coal trucks.
• Interfere with coal supply.
• Intimidate employees and contractors from doing their work.
Labour unions have until August 2 to respond.
Wage negotiations deadlocked last week‚ leading to Numsa and Num declaring disputes. The unions are demanding wage hikes of between 9% and 15%‚ but Eskom has offered 0% citing financial constraints.
Eskom had commenced with stage one load-shedding on Thursday evening due to the current industrial action‚ in which some incidents of sabotage have been reported. The load-shedding lasted just more than two hours.
