NN 10/2025
ARBEIDSAANGELEENTHEDE
DIE SAOU SE BETROKKENHEID
Die SAOU ontvang soms navrae van lede oor die SAOU se betrokkenheid by arbeidsaangeleenthede.
In hierdie nuusbrief verskaf die SAOU inligting aan sy lede oor die volgende aspekte:
- Stand van Salarisonderhandelinge;
- Staatsdienswerknemers Mediese Skema (GEMS);
- Vervroegde aftrede program (ERP);
- Staatsdienspensioenfonds verhoging (GEPF); en
- Gerugte van ‘n bydrae vakansie vir GEPF.
1. Stand van salarisonderhandelinge
Die SAOU was deurlopend deel van die 8 unies wat by die salarisonderhandelingsproses betrokke was. Gedurende die proses het die SAOU lede op hoogte van verwikkelinge gehou, maar ook deurlopend mandate van lede gevra en gekommunikeer. Met die mandaat van 81.3% van lede wat aangedui het dat hulle die ooreenkoms aanvaar. Die SAOU het dus hierdie ooreenkoms in die Staatsdiens Koördinerende Bedingingsraad (PSCBC) onderskryf.
Die begrotingsrede van die Minister van Onderwys is uitgestel tot 12 Maart 2025. Wat is die stand van die ondertekende Kollektiewe Ooreenkoms?
Die Minister van Finansies kan nie die ooreenkoms eensydig aanpas nie, aangesien die mandaat van die Werkgewer vir die kollektiewe ooreenkoms deur die kabinet bekragtig is.
Die kollektiewe ooreenkoms is dus nie in gevaar nie en sal vanaf 1 April 2025 geïmplementeer word.
Klik hier om die getekende PSCBC resolusies te sien.
2. Die buitensporige premie verhoging van GEMS
Die premieverhoging is nie onderhewig aan enige kollektiewe onderhandelinge nie en kan nie deur onderhandelinge in die PSCBC heronderhandel word nie. Die SAOU kan nie ons lede mislei deur valse hoop te skep nie.
- Die Wet op Mediese Skemas bepaal dat die GEMS Raad van Trustees ooreenkomstig die finansiële posisie van die skema besluite oor die toepaslike opsie se verhoging moet neem met inagneming van die betrokke opsie se eise verhouding, die rykheid van voordele en die reserwe vlak van die skema.
- Gedurende November 2024 het GEMS die beoogde premieverhogings aan elke GEMS-lid gekommunikeer.
Tans fasiliteer die PSCBC, ’n konsultasie-proses tussen die werkgewer en georganiseerde arbeid aan die een kant en GEMS aan die ander kant, om die onvergenoegdheid in die toekoms aan te spreek, deur die volgende aksies:
- Die regsgronde van die GEMS-Raad se besluit te ondersoek;
- Voortdurend te konsulteer; en
- Om sitting op die Raad te bekom om besluitneming te beïnvloed.
Lede het aangedui dat die verhoging van GEMS buite die perke van redelikheid is en dat veral die persoonlike mediese uitgawes wat deur lede bygedra word, hoër is as in vorige jare.
3. Vervroegde aftrede progam
Die SAOU is deur die werkgewer in kennis gestel van die beoogde aanbod in die vervroegde aftrede program (ERP).
Hierdie program het ten doel om die koste van staatsbesteding te besnoei deur jonger persone teen ‘n laer koste aan te stel en sodoende mense met ervaring en kundigheid wat die nodige stabiliteit in die stelsel bring, te vervang.
In die PSCBC vind daar tans konsultasie plaas om te verseker dat die implementeringsvoorwaardes gefinaliseer word.
Die huidige aanbod sluit die volgende in:
- Daar is vir 2025 12,000 geleenthede beskikbaar gestel en 18,000 poste vir 2026. Dit impliseer dat daar ’n geleentheid gebied word vir 30,000 persone om uit die Staatsdiens te bedank. Dit is geoormerk vir alle Staatsdienspersoneel.
- Die program word beskikbaar gestel vir persone tussen 55 en 59 jaar om sonder penalisasie met pensioen te gaan.
- Sou jy aansoek doen vir vervroegde pensioen (buite hierdie program), d.w.s. jy doen aansoek vir aftrede tussen die ouderdom van 55 en 59, word daar ’n 0,3 % afgetrek vir elke maand van diens tussen die huidige ouderdom en die werklike aftree-ouderdom (dus die maand) waarin jy 60 sou word.
- In hierdie program word hierdie klousule uitgesluit en word die volgende aansporing bygevoeg:
- ‘n Addisionele 2 weke se pensioen word bygevoeg vir jou eerste 20 jaar wat pensioendraend was; en
- Daarna word 1 week bygevoeg vir elke jaar na die aanvanklike 20 jaar wat voltooi is.
Om te onthou:
- Daar is ‘n keuringsproses, nie alle persone wat vir ERP aansoek doen sal hierdie addisionele vergunning ontvang nie;
- Dit is slegs beskikbaar vir personeel wat deur die Staatsdiens aangestel is;
- Dit is slegs beskikbaar vir die aantal jaar wat jy deur die Staatsdiens aangestel is – geen aanvullende diensjare word bygevoeg nie; en
- Daar is geen aanduiding van die belastingimplikasies van hierdie program nie.
Ons hou u op hoogte soos die aangeleentheid ontvou.
4. GEPF verhoging van 2,9% vir pensionarisse
Die Staatsdiens Pensioenfondswet en reëls, soos gewysig, vereis dat 75% van die verbruikersprysindeks teen die einde van November van die vorige jaar vir die verhoging van pensioene toegestaan moet word.
Die lae VPI van 2.9% het die Staatsdiens genoop om vir 2025 ‘n 100% verhoging toe te staan.
Pensioenarisse wat aan die GEPF behoort ontvang dus hierdie jaar ‘n 2.9% verhoging wat op 1 April 2025 in werking tree.
5. Gerugte van ‘n bydrae vakansie vir GEPF
Die SAOU besef dat daar tans uitdagings deur die Regering van Nasionale Eenheid (RNE) ondervind word om die 2025/2026 begroting te finaliseer. Die SAOU, saam met vennote in FEDUSA, weier om die Staat toe te laat om die GEPF te gebruik as ‘n reddingsboei. Hierdie bedreigings aan die kant van die Staat word in ‘n baie ernstig lig gesien. Die SAOU sal nie toelaat dat die voordele van lede soos salarisse, verlof en pensioen bedreig word nie.
Die SAOU noop elke lid, asook pensioenarisse om nie emosionele of ondeurdagte besluite te neem nie en te wag vir relevante inligting.
Die SAOU neem aktief aan prosesse deel om jou regte as onderwyser te beskerm!
2025/03/05
LABOUR ISSUES
THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE SAOU
The SAOU occasionally receives enquiries from members on the involvement of the union in labour issues.
In this newsletter the SAOU will provide information to its members on the following aspects:
- State of salary negotiations;
- Government Employee Medical Scheme (GEMS);
- Early Retirement Programme;
- Government Employee Pension Fund (GEPF); and
- Rumours on a contribution holiday for the GEPF.
1. State of salary negotiations
The SAOU was continuously part of the 8 unions which were involved in the salary negotiation process. During the process the SAOU kept members abreast of all developments, and mandates were requested from members and communicated regularly. With the mandate of 81.3% of members who indicated that they would accept the agreement. Therefore, the SAOU endorsed this agreement in the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSCBC).
The budget presentation of the Minister of Basic Education has been postponed to the 12th of March 2025. What is the current position of the signed Collective Agreement?
The Minister of Finance cannot adjust the agreement unilaterally, because the mandate of the Employer for this collective agreement was ratified by the Cabinet.
The Collective Agreement is therefore not under threat and will be implemented as of 1 April 2025.
Click here for the signed PSCBC resolutions.
2. The excessive premium increases of GEMS
The increase in premium is not subject to any collective negotiation process and cannot be renegotiated in the PSCBC. The SAOU cannot mislead members with false hope.
- Legislation on Medical Schemes determines that the GEMS Council of Trustees is allowed to decide within the financial position of the scheme, on the increase of particular options, the level of the benefit as well as the level of reserves of the scheme.
- During November 2024, GEMS communicated the proposed premium increases to every GEMS member.
The PSCBC is currently facilitating a consultation process between the employer and organised labour on one side and GEMS on the other, to address the current concerns, with a view of improvement in future, by the launch of the following actions, to:
- Investigate the legality of the GEMS Council decisions;
- Facilitate consultation; and
- Securing seats on the Council to influence decision making.
Members indicated that the GEMS increase was beyond the levels of reasonableness and that the out-of-pocket medical expenses which have to be contributed, exceeded that of previous years.
3. Early retirement Programme
The SAOU has been informed by the employer about a proposed offer of an Early retirement programme (ERP).
This programme aims at cutting the costs of government expenditure, by appointing younger employees at a lower cost and thereby replacing people with experience and knowledge, who also bring the necessary stability to the system.
Consultation in the PSCBC is currently being facilitated to ensure that the conditions of implementation is finalised.
The current offer includes the following:
- For 2025 12,000 opportunities will be available and for 2026 it will be increased to 18,000 posts. This implies that an opportunity for 30,000 people will be provided to apply for early retirement. This is aimed at all Government employees.
- The programme will be applicable to persons between the ages of 55 and 59 to enable retirement without penalisation.
- Should you apply for early retirement (outside this programme), i.e. you apply for retirement between the ages of 55 and 59, 0,3% will be deducted for every month from the current age and the real retirement age (the retirement month) in which you turn 60.
- In this programme the clause is excluded and the following incentive is included:
- An additional 2 weeks pension will be added for the first 20 years which were pension contributing; and
- After that 1 week will be added for every year after the first completed 20 years.
Kindly remember:
- There will be a selection process, not everyone who applies for ERP will receive this allowance;
- It is only available for employees who have been appointed by Government;
- It is only available for the number of years that you were employed by Government, no additional years of service will be added; and
- There is no indication of the tax implications for this programme.
We will keep you updated as this matter unfolds.
4. GEPF increase of 2.9% for pensioners
The Government Employees Pension Fund act and rules, as amended, requires that an increase of 75% of the consumer price index, as at the end of November of the previous year, has to be used as basis for an increase in pensions awarded by the GEPF.
The low CPI of 2.9% compelled the Government to award an increase equal to 100% of CPI.
Pensioners who are part of the GEPF will receive a 2.9% increase which will be implemented on 1 April 2025.
5. Rumours on a contribution holiday for the GEPF
The SAOU is aware of the current budget constraints and challenges the Government of National Unity (GNU) is experiencing to finalise the 2025/2026 budget. The SAOU, with members of FEDUSA, reject all efforts by Government to use the GEPF as a life saver. These threats on the side of Government are seen in a very serious light. The SAOU will not allow that the benefits of members, such as salaries, leave and pension to be threatened.
The SAOU urges every member not to make emotional or uninformed decisions, but to wait for the release of relevant information.
The SAOU actively participates in processes to protect your rights as educator!
Salarisonderhandelinge Terugvoer – Lede Mandatering | Salary Negotiations Response – Member Mandates
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