Economics
South African Government Rebuffed in Attempt to Curb Pay
- Labor unions will only discuss pay in bargaining council
- Government was supposed to have given 21 days notice
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The Congress of South African Trade Unions said it won’t discuss pay for government workers outside of the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council, setting a tight deadline for the implementation of spending cuts announced in the annual budget.
It had been expected that the issue would be discussed at a meeting of the ruling African National Congress’s National Working Committee on Monday after unions were given less than 24 hours notice ahead of the budget on Feb. 26 of plans to limit pay increases to 1.5% on April 1, well below the inflation-beating increases that had already been agreed.