The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has tabled a final revised wage demand to the South African Post Office (Sapo), the union said on Wednesday.
“We have tabled what we view as our final counter proposal and call on management of Sapo to respond positively and with the necessary speed if indeed they are serious about resolving the current labour unrest and achieve a lasting cessation of hostilities which have so far had dire consequences,” CWU general secretary Aubrey Tshabalala said.
The union tabled a revised salary demand of 7,5% backdated to 1 April, and a further 0,5% from January 2015.
By April next year, they want to have in place an 8% increase plus consumer price inflation.
The union had earlier demanded a 15% salary increase and conversion of casual workers into permanent employees.
In its proposal to Post Office, the CWU wanted casual workers employed full time within 16 months as opposed to the current 30 months.
Tshabalala said union members had mandated the union to revise its demand. If the Post Office signed the proposal, the strike could be over by Monday.
Union president Clyde Marvin said the Post Office has offered 7,5% with effect from December.
“We are responding to their letter. Their offer does not say anything about backdated increase,” he said.
The Post Office had until Thursday to respond to the union’s revised demand, he said.
The union would send its demand to Sapo on Wednesday afternoon.
Tshabalala said the union would march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday and to parliament in Cape Town on Friday. — Sapa
