A "big fight" would come Eskom's way, the National Union of Mineworkers warned on Tuesday as it rejected the parastatal's latest wage offer.

"They must just go to health and ask the doctors what happens if one party is arrogant," said Num negotiator at Eskom Paris Mashego.

According to Num, Eskom's final wage offer of eight percent had been rejected.

"The Num lowered its 15 percent demand to 14 percent whilst the power utility refused to budge," Mashego said.

"Workers need the 14 percent to be able to afford the exorbitant price of electricity," he said.

He said Eskom could not receive a tariff increase of 31.3 percent and refuse workers an increment that would enable them to afford the electricity supplier's high prices.

Eskom spokesperson Andrew Etzinger told Sapa Eskom was still aiming to resolve the issue "around the boardroom table".

"We don't see this as the end of the road and we are still waiting for a formal response from the Num – we'll take it from there."

Etzinger said the negotiating process was still underway.

"We're confident we'll be able to resolve this constructively."

Sapa

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