JOHANNESBURG - The battle between the government and trade unions over salary increases for South Africa’s 1.2 million public servants is far from over. Over the next few days the unions will appeal against a Labour Appeal Court ruling that dismissed their application for increases of between 4.4% and 5.4%.

Trade unions representing public servants are planning to approach the Constitutional Court to up the ante in their fight with the government over inflation-beating salary increases. 

Trade unions affiliated with Cosatu and the Federation of Unions of SA have decided to appeal against a Labour Appeal Court ruling that handed the government a huge victory in December 2020, paving the way for it to not pay salary increases to South Africa’s 1.2 million public servants. 

Public Servants Association (PSA) general manager Reuben Maleka confirmed to Business Maverick that trade unions are drafting court papers to petition the Constitutional Court. SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) general secretary Mugwena Maluleke, who speaks on behalf of Cosatu-affiliated unions, also confirmed the decision by unions to approach the country’s top court. 

This adds a new twist to a long-standing dispute between the government and trade unions over a 2018 wage agreement which spans three years and proposes salary increases of between 4.4% and 5.4% for public servants from April 2020. The government refused to implement increases, saying the wage agreement had become unaffordable. This prompted trade unions – including the PSA and Sadtu – to challenge the government’s decision at the Labour Appeal Court in Johannesburg. 

The court ruled on 15 December 2020 that the wage agreement was unlawful and contradicted the Constitution because it has become unaffordable for the government to implement since public finances have deteriorated due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ruling meant the government was no longer bound by the wage agreement, which would cost the fiscus an extra R37.8-billion for the 2020/21 financial year. The government expects to spend R639-billion in 2020/21 to compensate public servants, which is the single-largest component of its consolidated expenditure.

Sadtu’s Maluleke said the trade unions will argue at the Constitutional Court that the Labour Appeal Court dismissed their application without considering alternatives proposed by unions to implement the wage agreement. These include public servants agreeing to accept a lower percentage increase. 

“We had indicated that if the Labour Appeal Court finds that the wage agreement is unaffordable and unenforceable, the court should direct the parties back to the negotiating table to talk about how the agreement can be implemented so it can be valid,” he said.