MBABANE — Public Sector Unions say they are prepared to sign the long-awaited salary review agreement as early as tomorrow if the government increases the current budget allocation for the exercise.
The unions have welcomed the recent adjustment of the salary review budget from E500 million to E1.29 billion but insist that the full implementation requires E1.643 billion to cover all government employees fairly.
According to Swaziland National Association of Teachers Secretary General Lot Vilakati, the talks have entered their fifth day, with both parties expected to meet again tomorrow morning at ten to finalise the discussions. He said the process has been one of compromise, where both government and employees must reach a fair middle ground.
“Everyone should benefit from this process. Since we are all working for the government, it is only fair that the government releases sufficient funds while employees make reasonable demands,” Vilakati said.
National Public Service and Allied Workers Union Secretary General Msimeto Malindzisa said the unions were ready to sign the agreement immediately once a better financial offer is presented. He said the unions had shown commitment from the beginning, and the only delay now is related to funding.
“We are ready to sign tomorrow, and we have been ready from the start. The only delay now is financial,” Malindzisa said, adding that he remains hopeful that tomorrow’s meeting will produce a final decision.
Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union Secretary General Mayibongwe Masangane also confirmed that nurses are ready to sign depending on the final outcome of the negotiations. He explained that their approval would depend on whether the government accepts one of the union’s proposed options, which include paying employees in phases starting from 64 percent of the total amount due, or implementing a notch-to-notch system where workers are paid according to their years of experience.
“If the government agrees to either of these proposals, we will sign because it will be in the best interests of all employees,” Masangane said.
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