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GroundUp reports that according to the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa), the wage increase offer made the week before last to striking National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) members in the metals and engineering sector was its final, closing offer.
“The proposed increase is 5% across the board for artisans and 6% for general labourers. We have nothing more to add to the offer we’ve made to Numsa. We are confident that this offer is fair, equitable and sustainable,” said Lucio Trentini, Seifsa’s chief executive officer, during a press briefing on Friday. The offer was rejected by Numsa members on Thursday. Irvin Jim, Numsa’s general secretary, said that while members were prepared to settle on 6%, it was the union’s demand that the increase be calculated on what businesses actually paid workers and not on the minimum rates as set by the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) Main Agreement, currently at R49.55 per hour. But Trentini said the industry could not afford to pay wage increases that were calculated on actual rates of pay. He stated that many companies were struggling just to survive in the current economic climate. Elias Monage, chair of the Seifsa board, argued that wage increases on actual rates of pay would also make it difficult to extend the wage agreement to employers who were not affiliated with employer associations and employers who paid workers above the industry minimum rate.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Masego Mafata at GroundUp
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page