BL Premium reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) says it is mobilising for the “mother of all strikes” at steelmaker ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa).
This comes after the union and Amsa reached a deadlock during pay talks on 5 April. Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said that the union’s members were on the “verge of a strike” in the “steel belt” of Vanderbijlpark, Newcastle and Vereeniging and there was also the possibility of a secondary strike. “Numsa is the majority trade union representative within Amsa nationally, and we will be embarking on the dispute resolution process, which may lead to a full-blown strike if Amsa management does not make a meaningful offer to settle this round of wage talks,” Jim said in a statement. Numsa is demanding a one-year 15% pay increase across the board, while the employer has offered 6%. In addition to wages, increases in employer pension fund and medical aid contributions, paternity leave of 90-day per occurrence, and a R20,000 increase in respect of funeral benefits are among the issues on the table. Numsa leadership and Amsa management are set to meet for dispute resolution talks at the Metals and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council on 24 April. Amsa began pay talks with Numsa and Solidarity on 20 February. The company’s consolidated offer includes a three-year wage deal for increases of 6% in 2023 and hikes linked to consumer price inflation (3% minimum capped at 6.5%) in the outer years of the agreement. “Both unions have rejected our offer and the internal process is under way to try and resolve the matter,” said an Amsa spokesperson.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page