ESWATINI RAILWAYS WORKERS DEMAND 6% COLA

MANZINI - Eswatini Railways workers are at loggerheads with the company over CoLA as management has tabled three per cent against their initial demand of eight per cent, plus a once-off payment of five per cent of their annual salary.

The cost-of-living-adjustment (CoLA) talks between the two parties started last Thursday, November 12, 2020. In the talks, the workers are represented by the Eswatini Railway Workers Union (ESRAWU), while the company has appointed a management negotiations team to represent it.

This is contained in a memorandum, which was issued by the Eswatini Railways human resources office after the first salary adjustment talks of the 2020/21 financial year.

The workers’ union tabled a demand of eight per cent salary adjustment, which should be backdated to April 1, 2020 plus a once-off payment of five per cent of the workers’ annual salary.

Supporting

When supporting their demand, the union leaders argued that the finances of the company were healthy as, unlike many organisations, it had not been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead,  the union claimed that the company prospered as the companies it was working with, did well. They made an example with sugar, fuel and cement companies, to mention a few.

However, the employer tabled a counter offer of three per cent salary adjustment, which would be effected from April 1, 2020. Sources close to the matter claimed that the management negotiations team submitted that the three per cent CoLA was what it was given by its principals. 

However, in the memorandum, which was issued by the office of human resources, the company said it offered the three per cent to all employees falling within the union bargaining unit, informed by its affordability, going concern and other regulatory guidelines. 

Thereafter, the insiders said in the spirit of negotiating with good will, the union leaders reviewed their demand to six per cent CoLA, plus the once-off payment of five per cent of the workers’ annual salary.

However, the management negotiations team maintained the three per cent offer. As a result, the parties did not reach an agreement and the negotiations were deferred to today. The deferment was meant to allow both parties to consult with their principals.

Issuance

On the other hand, the union is crying foul following the issuance of the memorandum about the developments at the round table. Sources within the union’s national executive committee (NCE) revealed that procedurally, no party was supposed to reveal the developments that took place at the round table to another party because that could jeopardise the negotiations. 

They made an example that since the management of the company decided to breach the procedure and leak the developments to workers, who were not even members of the union, they might convince the workers union members to take the three per cent yet it was less than what they deserved. 

Members

Again, they said since the union members had seen the demand tabled by the trade union, possibilities were high that if they got anything less than the proposed salary adjustment, they could revolt by engaging in unlawful strike action.

However, Eswatini Railways Corporate Communications Manager, Sive Manana, said the memorandum was meant for internal consumption, not for external bodies. In that regard, he said they did not think they breached any procedure as it was meant to update staff members about the ongoing negotiations.

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