LETTER: Government was reckless on pay deal
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Thanks to Craig Moffet for an interesting and well argued piece (“Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures on public sector pay”, August 17 ( The real problem is that the SA government entered into the agreement recklessly in the first place. The negotiators, on behalf of our government, knew full well that the increases were not sustainable, and were immoral anyway.
It is not just the pandemic and lockdown that have caused this situation. For years, the trade unions have held the government to ransom. Because of the tripartite alliance the ANC has in effect been controlled by union federation Cosatu. To just blame the situation on the pandemic is ridiculous.
Unfortunately, the labour courts are specifically enjoined to ensure that the law is followed, and that contractual arrangements are honoured. However, the labour court is a court of both law and equity and there might be a small gap for the judges to at least look at the fiscal disaster we are facing because of the history of the escalating public service wage bill coupled with the contracting economy.
Michael Bagraim
DA deputy shadow employment & labour minister
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an e-mail with your comments. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Send your letter by e-mail to letters@businesslive.co.za (mailto:letters@businesslive.co.za). Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
It is not just the pandemic and lockdown that have caused this situation. For years, the trade unions have held the government to ransom. Because of the tripartite alliance the ANC has in effect been controlled by union federation Cosatu. To just blame the situation on the pandemic is ridiculous.
Unfortunately, the labour courts are specifically enjoined to ensure that the law is followed, and that contractual arrangements are honoured. However, the labour court is a court of both law and equity and there might be a small gap for the judges to at least look at the fiscal disaster we are facing because of the history of the escalating public service wage bill coupled with the contracting economy.
Michael Bagraim
DA deputy shadow employment & labour minister
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an e-mail with your comments. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Send your letter by e-mail to letters@businesslive.co.za (mailto:letters@businesslive.co.za). Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
