ANA reports that, as wage talks in the metal and engineering sector begin on Wednesday, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has announced that it would be demanding a 15% wage increase across the board.  

The current wage agreement negotiated under the auspices of the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) lapses at the end of this month.  Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said:  “We have three simple demands.  We demand a 15% wage increase across the board based on the actual rate that workers are earning, and not on the minimum rate.  We demand an extension of the current agreement for two years.  In this period all outstanding issues must be finalised.  We demand the extension of the agreement to non-parties, this includes non-parties like Neasa (National Employers Association of SA) and Pcasa (Plastics Convertors Association of SA) who fall under the MEIBC.”

• Read this report in full at Engineering News
• Read Numsa’s press statement in this regard at Numsa online

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