The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) congratulates its militant affiliate, the National Union of Mine Workers (NUM) as well as the other unions organising at Eskom, NUMSA and Solidarity, for securing a 7% 3 year wage agreement for all Eskom employees.  This agreement includes a 7% 3 year housing allowance increase and a once off R10 000 cash payment for levels T04-T13 employees. This is a significant increase from the initial meagre offer from the employer that would have left workers worse off and seen their wages and ability to take care of their families being eroded by inflation.

COSATU applauds the discipline, determination and unity that NUM and the other unions have shown in defence of the right of Eskom employees to earn a living wage.  The unity shown by NUM, NUMSA and Solidarity echoes the call of Karl Marx and the founding vision of COSATU for workers of the world to unite. If we are to ensure that Eskom is stabilised and rebuilt into the world class electricity utility it once was and that the economy needs it to be quickly, then we need to ensure that Eskom’s employees’ rights are protected and that they are highly motivated as they work flat out to ramp up maintenance and end loadshedding.  This 3 year wage agreement is a positive step forward in that regard.