- The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union said a 1.5% pay progression and non-pensionable gratuity "won't amount to real salary increase for public servants".
- The Public Servants' Association said it would have a final mandate on whether to accept or reject the offer on Tuesday.
- So far two of the eight unions at the bargaining council have accepted the latest offer.
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said on Monday that it would reserve its right to consult membership on the latest public service wage offer made by government at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC).
Government, through the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), tabled an offer last week Friday of a 1.5% pensionable salary increase with a monthly gratuity ranging from R1 200 to R1 600, depending on pay grade, from 1 April to 31 March next year.
Unions have been given 21 days from the formal tabling of the revised offer to consult with membership get a mandate to either accept or reject the offer.
If the majority of unions do not accept the offer, it will fall off the table and a party will have to request it be resubmitted for further negotiation or more time to get a mandate.
So far, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) have accepted the offer, while Popcru and the Public Servants Association (PSA) have registered their rejection of the offer, while committing to canvas membership for a final mandate.
In an internal circular, which Fin24 has seen, Popcru said it believed the revised offer would "not amount to real salary increase for public servants".
"The employer has indicated on clause 3.3 of the draft agreement that in the absence of a wage agreement for 2022/23 financial year, the non-pensionable cash gratuity will continue. This confirms the statement by the minister of finance on a wage freeze for the coming three financial years," the circular said.
When contacted by Fin24 for comment, PSA spokesperson Claude Naicker said the union would have a final mandate on whether to accept or reject the offer by Tuesday.
The eight unions involved in talks are the PSA, Popcru, Sadtu, the SA Police Union (SAPU), Denosa, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union, Naptosa and the Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of SA.