Mbabane: Public sector unions (PSUs) have cleared the air that they are taking part in national politics.Speaking during a press briefing this morning, the SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini clarified that as PSUs, they are not pulling any political stunt, but only exercising their constitutional rights.
He added that their actions are purely focused on labour rights and lawful enforcement of existing agreement. “We are exercising our rights as contained in our contracts. Notching is not a favour, it is an obligation” he said.
Providing an update on the way forward on notch 2 rejection by the government, the unions are confirmed to deliver a formal petition to the Prime Minister’s Office following government’s decision to withhold immediate implementation of Notch 2, citing budgetary constraints.
Government has indicated that the Notch 2 adjustment will be implemented in July, with a phased arrangement that includes payment of the remaining 85 percent arrears from last year. However, unions have strongly disputed the timeline, arguing that the proposed structure would stretch full completion of the notch progression process to 2030.
According to the unions, discussions within the Government Negotiation Team also suggested that civil servants would only receive Notch 2 in the next financial year, a position PSUs say would further delay salary progression beyond acceptable limits and potentially interfere with the broader 2030 salary review framework.
Moreover, they argue that such delays amount to a violation of workers’ rights, insisting that notch progression is embedded in employment contracts and therefore cannot be treated as a discretionary or negotiable benefit.
They maintain that the current approach by government undermines agreed salary structures and sets a concerning precedent for public sector remuneration.
The unions further argue that delaying implementation undermines trust in collective bargaining structures and weakens established wage agreements reached through formal negotiation processes.
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