MBABANE:King Mswati’s cousin and Standard Bank Chief Executive Mvuselelo Fakudze,has allegedly withdrew Luju Festival tickets previously offered to striking employees,blocked emails and subsequently made a final offer of 5.5% Cost of Living Adjustment(COLA).
After blocking the emails and withdrawing the Luju Festival tickets,Fakudze then warned the striking employees that,if they refuse to accept the 5.5% offer by Friday morning,the bank will withdraw it and revert back to the original offer of 5.15%.
“Our offer of 5.5% is valid until 8am on Friday morning,if you don’t accept that offer,we are reverting back to the original offer of 5.15%”,said the Standard Bank Chief Executive when speaking during a press conference on Wednesday.
When asked if they would accept the offer,Jabu Shiba,the Secretary General of the Swaziland Union of Financial Institutions and Allied Workers(SUFIAW) said they will not sign without the mandate from the members.
“5.5% is not new as it was first put on the table 19 July and members rejected it. So it is an offer that has always been on the table with the only difference that sekutsiwa itawusuka after 48 hrs.Members have been made aware of this development and we shall await direction from them.Where things are now,we cannot sign without a mandate to do so.The danger of allowing these negotiations to get to a strike kutsi employer ugcina sa-negotiate with the masses and not the Union’s team”, said the SUFIAW Secretary General.
On another note,some Standard Bank employees told this Swaziland News that,the Chief Executive allegedly blocked their emails and withdrew Luju Festival tickets before holding the press conference.
PIC:SUPPLIED:Standard Bank Chief Executive Mvuselelo Fakudze.