Johannesburg - Sentech's claims about the unaffordability of workers' wage demands are misleading, says the Communication Workers' Union (CWU).
The union's acting general secretary Thabo Mogalane said in a statement: "The statement by Sentech management as released on July 30 seeks to mislead the public about the current state of affairs in a wage dispute prevalent between Sentech management and CWU."
Union members wanted a 10% wage increase for the lowest-paid workers, 9% for middle-income earners and 7% for the highest-paid staff.
Demands unaffordable
They wanted a guaranteed 13th cheque in the current financial year, a housing allowance of R1 450 a month and a moratorium on retrenchments during the wage agreement period.
Sentech spokesperson Sithembele Senti said on Wednesday the CWU's demands were unaffordable and would affect the business's sustainability negatively.
Mogalane said the demand for a 13th cheque was not unreasonable because management's counter-offer of a once-off 10% gratuity would cost more than the bonus cheque.
Period of agreement
He said workers made up 53% of the company's wage bill and management, with 132 people, 47%.
"This means in simple layman's terms that the managerial structure is top heavy and bloated, and, as such, constitutes a threat to the sustainability of the business."
He said the union rejected Sentech's proposal of a three-year phase-in or the 13th cheque commencing next year.
"Our period of an agreement is on a one-year basis and not a multi-term agreement."