Issued by: Office of the President
The Cabinet today considered the forthcoming negotiations in the Bargaining Chambers. In this context they also received and considered a report from Minister Zuma on the position in the Health Sector. The Cabinet accepts that there are a number of structural problems in the payment system of the Public Service. It regards the position of nurses, amongst others, as being unsatisfactory. However, a piecemeal approach to these problems will not solve the problem. What is needed is the coherent changes envisaged in the three year bargaining programme. This will lead to a stable, more equitable and more effective payment system that is within the limits of what is sustainable financially. Cabinet believes that proposals from Government to be placed before the Bargaining Chamber and its task groups will have a significant favourable impact. It is proposed that this is done by simplifying the structure, addressing the compacting of certain grades and improving career paths. These proposals will have to be negotiated and are being put forward in the belief that constructive negotiations will be to everyone's benefit.
However, to achieve this change within our Budget constraints, Cabinet reinforced the President's statement that funds were not available in this financial year for further salary increases in addition to those negotiated. Accordingly all groups are encouraged to enter the bargaining process and contribute to a solution for the next financial year. In particular the task group dealing with grading is urged to bring its work programme forward.
Where grievances of nurses can be addressed such as implementing parity within the nursing service, it was agreed every support will be given to the Ministry of Health to deal with these. Salaries will have to be dealt with in the negotiations for the next financial year.
Cabinet has also set up a group to study the comparability of salaries between Central and Provincial public services and local authorities.
Cabinet is not unsympathetic to genuine salary problems but the GNU will deal with these through orderly negotiation processes and in a manner that is sustainable in the overall economic and financial context.
27 September 1995