SAPWU-TAMBANKULU AND TAMBANKULU ESTATES FAIL TO BREAK WAGE NEGOTIATIONS DEADLOCK,STRIKE ACTION POSSIBLE

Workers at a gathering (File picture)

Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze

The anticipated negotiations to resolve the deadlock between Tambankulu Estates and the Swaziland Agriculture ,Plantations Workers Union (SAPWU) - Tambankulu Branch have failed to get the two warring parties to settle their wage deadlock. From the previous deadlock offer of 4.5% for the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Tambankulu Management has been reported to have only improved the offer to 4.85%,however sources have also pointed out that management has also since improved their offer on education assistance to workers. The figures offered in relation to the education assistance have not been revealed to the ELI.

The failure of the negotiations may imply that the SAPWU Tambankulu will head back to Conciliation, Mediation Arbitration Commission (CMAC) where a few weeks ago they (SAPWU Tambankulu) had sought a certificate of non-resolved dispute. The certificate of unresolved dispute would have allowed SAPWU-Tambankulu to issue a notice for a strike action to the Tambankulu Estates Management. When last the two parties met at CMAC Tambankulu Management had successfully argued that the issue needed to be taken back to internal negotiations in accordance with the recognition agreement between the two parties.

Interviewed by this publication SAPWU Tambakulu branch chairperson Maxwell Ndzimandze confirmed that they are taking the matter back to CMAC because ,"the attempts to resolve the matters through negotiations internally have not worked". Chairperson Ndzimandze further pointed out that from the second round of negotiations management only improved the education assistance and not the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) which currently is substantially placed at 4.85 % and conditionally placed at 5% but only if the union accepts the offer.

Management not pressing panic buttons yet

The management of Tambankulu, on the other hand, is still not pressing the panic buttons as they have stated that they believe that there is still a chance that the dispute can be settled between the two parties before a strike action can be declared. While refusing to be drawn on specific details regarding the negotiations the Tambankulu Estates General Manager (GM) Mr Chris Shabangu indicated that as management they believed that the two social partners will continue to engage in good faith, earnestly in order to arrive at a settlement. "Management is confident that there will be an agreement between the parties as soon as possible for the good of the affected employees" he declared.

This is a developing story with regular updates.

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