The Acting Minister of Public Service and Administration, Mr. Thulas Nxesi, has lauded the unions that organize within the public sector that have resolved to continue participating in the Public Service Coordination Bargaining Council (PSCBC) process over salary negotiations.
The Minister said the PSCBC, its systems and processes, is an important democratic forum that enables dialogue, and synergies between government and public sector employees.
He said the PSCBC is a crucial democratic institution that enables public sector employees to participate in engagements geared towards labour peace and sustainability and that in this regard, the government remains committed to strengthening PSCBC as a crucial forum of a social compact.
“The government is committed to the objective of aligning the wage negotiations to the budgeting cycle of government and to working with public sector unions to stabilize the public service.
“It is important that the PSCBC processes and systems are capacitated and consolidated further, rather than being abandoned,” said Minister Nxesi.
The Minister further called upon those unions that have resolved to withdraw their participation from the PSCBC due to protracted salary negotiations to reconsider and return to the negotiating table.
“This will ensure that their members’ views are heard, and their interests are catered for in salary negotiations and in their conditions of service, benefits, and well-being in the workplace,” he said.