The employees of Ampath who are members of SACWU have written an open letter to Ampath management via SACWU to express their dissatisfaction with the company's annual salary increase process. Specifically, they argue that (1) Ampath does not consult with employees on salary increases and imposes the increases autocratically, and (2) the percentage-based increase method unfairly benefits higher-paid employees like management. As a result, the employees are mandating SACWU to negotiate with Ampath on their behalf to request a flat R1,800 salary increase for all SACWU members instead of a percentage increase due to rising costs of living. They cite increasing electricity, transport,

1. AN OPEN LETTER TO AMPATH MANAGEMENT VIA SACWU
05 – Feb 2012
To: tumediso.modise@sacwu.org.za
CC: mphirim@gmail.com
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR R1, 800-00 (ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED) SALARY NOT PERCENTAGE RISE.
(Mandate to SACWU to negotiate with Ampath Management on behalf of SACWU-Ampath employees)
Good Comrades
Thank you for your guidance and support over time, and with so much passion you shared in our concerns as employees.
We as SACWU members at the employ of Ampath have been in extensive consultations about the annual salary increase
that our employer offers, and we are not happy with the employer’s way of handling this process.
1. The employer’s use of an autocratic system to offer employees annual salary incriment.
History testifies that the employer does not hold consultation forums to touch base with employees, let alone to care
about how employees feel about the annual salary increase. This annual increase is just being imposed on
employees and it has little financial benefit and value.
2. We declare that, the percentage method that the employer uses is unfair and favours a specific category of
employees, pre-dominantely management.
We have noted that the “percentage method” that the employer applies as an annual increment, is “unfair” as it
largely benefits employees who already earn high salaries, and predominently the beneficiaries are in management.
As a result, we write this open letter intended for the employer, and officially mandates you SACWU as our Trade Union to
urgently initiate the a meeting with the employer about the contents of this open letter. We argue that the employer’s
autocratic and percentage system fails to uplift our economic lives and of which our employment directly depends on,
namely on Transport, and Electricity.
(a) As we are all aware, due to NERSA (National Energy Regulator of South Africa)’s approval to Eskom’s request for
tariff hike, there will be another price increase from Eskom at least in July 2012.
(b) Due to the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices, SANTACO (South African National Taxi Association), had to
call a February meeting, and now SANTACO is ready to annouce an increase to taxi fees. Bearing in mind that
bus operators have also indicated they are feeling the pinch.
(c) Whilst on the other hand, the Finance Minister of Internaional Monetary Fund on her 2012 visit to South Africa,
Christine Lagarde cautioned the international communities about yet another global economic depression that is
inevitable for 2012. We now all expects a high inflation this year which will cause drastic economic limitations.
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2. AN OPEN LETTER TO AMPATH MANAGEMENT VIA SACWU
These costs, plus other elementary necessities that are on a continuous increase such as food, school funds, clothing,
etc, when calculated together, they sum to an estimated steep incline of at least (R1, 400.00) One thousand Four
hundred Rand, just to maintain what we know as normal life.
Now if there is any employee who receives a salary rise of R500.00, (Five Hundred Rand) or less,over a year’s period,
how does this help against the estimated R1, 400.00 general inflation figure? Is it not as good as vinegar to the wound?
Yet, on the contrary, we all work equal prescribed hours, (40hrs to 45hrs). This is illustrated by a table below named: “Per
day, how much do I value to my employer”?
PER DAY HOW MUCH DO I VALUE TO MY EMPLOYER?
Hours/month 40
Days in a year 365
EXAMPLE A 5%
My My 5% Per day I’m
My Name is CTC is Increase is Rewarded
ZULUNKIE 4,000.00 200.00 0.55
TEA 18,000.00 900.00 2.47
EXAMPLE B 12%
My My 12% Per day I’m
My Name is CTC is Increase is Rewarded
ZULUNKIE 4,000.00 480.00 1.32
TEA 18,000.00 2,160.00 5.92
NB: Did you pick up that though Zulinkie and Tea receive the same percentage increase, there is a huge
difference of R700.00 in example A, and R1, 680.00 in Example B, between Zulunkie and Tea, and yet there is
no difference in the working hours of both? “Can you imagine what happens to Zulukie if this continues for
a further Five year count in a row”?
For these reasons, employees do NOT recommend an annual percentage increase, but requests a salary adjustment
of R1, 800.00 (One Thousand Eight Hundred Rand)per employee for SACWU members across the board.
As our Trade Union, may you urgently be in contact with our employer to forward and vehemently express our request as
expressed in this open letter.
Kindly acknowledge receipt of this open letter and send all written correspondence to ampathemployees@ymail.com or fax
to email: 086 561 3426.
Kind regards.
Signatories as annexured on page 3 of this open-letter.
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3. AN OPEN LETTER TO AMPATH MANAGEMENT VIA SACWU
SIGNATURES
NAME & SURNAME EMPLOYEE NR SIGNATURE DATE
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