OSD talks frustrate teachers

2009-06-30 19:01

Johannesburg - Teachers' unions expressed frustration on Tuesday over the lack of progress made in wage talks with government, as the deadline for agreements on Occupation Specific Dispensations loomed.

At a press briefing in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) said industrial action would not be ruled out to compel government to begin to take talks seriously.

"It makes us angry that the employer [government] does not seem committed... employee parties have moved to accommodate them but they have come back today [Tuesday] with the same position," said Sadtu president Thobile Ntoli.

"We are prepared to stay 24 hours... we expected to conclude the agreement... the fact that it's not concluded is not through us. It's the employer that's not serious about the matter," he said.

This was after labour tabled new demands on Friday, downgrading its initial demand for a pay package of around R25bn to R8bn.

Government came back to labour on Tuesday, with a position unmoved from its initial offer. Its offer was around R1.5bn less than the union's demand, said Sadtu acting general secretary Mugwena Maluleke.

Negotiating through the night

The largest teacher union in the country has not ruled out industrial action, but added it was willing to negotiate "all night", provided government showed commitment to the process.

"We are prepared to stay and pursue the negotiations... we will resort to industrial action in situations where there is absolutely nothing left.

"There comes a time where we have to fight and we have to use that weapon [industrial action]. We are saying that weapon is going to be used if necessary," Ntoli said.

Chris Klopper, chief executive of the SA Teachers Union (SAOU), felt the talks had already deadlocked.

"The present mode of negotiations is not taking us forward, we are just treading water, it may be time to admit that we are deadlocked and possibly declare a dispute," he said.

Willing to keep talking

While talks between labour and government were resuming on Tuesday, Klopper said that as government had already conceded that there were no new funds to put on the table, further talking may therefore prove pointless.

National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) negotiator Cecil Scorgie said he hoped government would return to the negotiating table with more flexibility and that his union was willing to talk until an agreement was reached.

- SAPA