NEGOTIATIONS ABANDONED

MANZINI – Negotiations were yesterday abandoned after unions threatened to walk out of the negotiations with government over the contentious ongoing salary review process.

The Joint Negotiations Forum (JNF) adjourned its meeting with government yesterday after the two failed to reach an agreement on the issues being discussed.
The JNF comprises the; Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) and the Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP). It has been reliably gathered by this publication that government informed unions that it did not have adequate money to meet the demands they tabled on all allowances and salary structure which are contained in the salary review report .  Information received from a source close to the matter revealed that government did not seem keen on reaching an agreement with unions anytime soon.

“Today marks the seventh day that we as the Joint Negotiations Forum have been stuck in meetings with the Government Negotiations Team with no end in sight.”
It was revealed that since the negotiations began in earnest, the two entities have only been able to discuss the issue of housing allowance to be awarded to deserving civil servants.  It was mentioned that after seven days of intense negotiations, the two (GNT and JNF) have failed to agree on a satisfactory rate.

 “Members of the four unions should know that we have not even begun discussing the issue of salaries yet, we only have two days out of the 10 that were set aside for this exercise,” the source said. The two parties agreed that when negotiations began in earnest; meetings would be held from Monday to Friday for two weeks (10 days non-stop) to ensure continuity. It was noted that previously, government only met with public sector unions twice per month.

 Yesterday marked the beginning of the second week of negotiations and each day clearly indicates to unions that their members will not be receiving any bumper salary this month as it was previously stated by another publication.
 “Union members should not be easily excited, they should not start making plans for money that they may expect will be agreed on between the two parties as currently no agreement had been made; kuyashisha nje, meaning we are making no headway in negotiations.”

 A member of the JNF, when contacted, vehemently denied the allegations. He admitted that while currently government and unions had not agreed on anything yet, the two still had two more days to continue with the negotiations.
 “We are aware that members of the public affected by the ongoing salary review talks would like to be kept abreast of all developments. We beg for calm as we will only be in a position to state our position as the JNF on Friday after the last day of negotiations with government.”

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