There appears to be progress in the wage dispute between the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the power utility Eskom at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), as both parties attended a conciliation process aimed at breaking the impasse. The matter was set down for conciliation on June 23. Eskom and Numsa attended, Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said. “NUM and Solidarity had not been cited in Numsa’s referral, creating a procedural defect. The CCMA directed that both unions must be joined as parties, given their substantial interest and the impact of any outcome on their members. Numsa was instructed to file a joinder application, which it has now submitted,” Mokwena said.The dispute arose after Numsa rejected a multi-term wage deal that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Solidarity accepted at Eskom, for increases of 7% each year for three years, electing rather to refer the deadlock to the CCMA. Eskom concluded its 2026 wage negotiations in April. Because NUM and Solidarity represent about 75% of employees in the central bargaining forum, the agreement is binding on all employees in the bargaining unit, including Numsa members. Numsa subsequently declared a wage dispute at the CCMA.Numsa spokesperson Mbali Ngwenda did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The CCMA was also approached for comment. Read: Eskom wage fight heads to CCMAMokwena said the three-year pay deal effective from July 1 was viewed as establishing a “predictable environment that reduces the volatility associated with annual bargaining cycles”. Unions previously demanded increases of up to 15% before revising their demands down. Jim has said the wage deal with Eskom was “unacceptable and provocative”, saying Numsa demanded 8%. “In 2016 we settled for salary increases of between 8.5% and 10% when Eskom reported a profit of R4.6bn. In 2018 Eskom offered a 0% increase, and we settled at 7.5%. In both 2019 and 2020 we settled at 7%,” Jim said previously. “This was at a time, from June 2018 to 2022, where the economy and the country experienced devastating rolling blackouts that cost the economy not less than R500bn. In 2021 we were victims of Covid-19, and Eskom took advantage of the prevailing conditions and unilaterally imposed a 1.5% wage increase. In 2022 we settled at 7% when Eskom was making a loss of R24bn. This was when rolling blackouts further cost the economy not less than R800bn from 2022 to 2023,” he said. Numsa bemoaned what it claimed were 100% increases for top executives and bonuses of more than R2m. Eskom reported a profit after tax of R16bn for 2025, its first profit in eight years. Profit before tax was R24bn. The turnaround was supported by government debt relief, higher electricity tariffs and a significant decrease in load-shedding, which led to lower diesel costs. Eskom received a R254bn relief package from the National Treasury in 2023 in a programme that enjoined local government to pay their dues to Eskom. Municipalities owe Eskom more than R100bn.