BL Premium reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has reached an above-inflation wage increase of 8% across the board for Gautrain workers.
The union had been in wage talks with the Gautrain management since April. Parties reached a deadlock in June, spurring union members to ballot for a strike last Friday. “Fortunately, management requested a meeting over the weekend, and made an offer to settle this round of wage talks,” Numsa’s general secretary, Irvin Jim, said. The one-year wage deal, which expires in June 2024, sees workers getting the following benefits: An 8% wage increase across the board (Numsa demanded 8%); a housing allowance increase of 10% to R1,210 (Numsa demanded R1,750); a transport allowance increase of 5% to R105 (Numsa demanded R125 per shift or R2,100 per month); performance bonus increases of R500, to R9,000 (Numsa demanded R15,000); a night shift allowance of R35 per hour (Numsa demanded R38); the Gautrain staff card to remain in place (Numsa wanted the status quo to be retained on free train rides for all employees coming to work and going back home). Welcoming the agreement Jim said: “We secured an above-inflation increase of 8% at a time when most employers are not granting any increases, and we secured a double-digit percent increase on the housing allowance.”
- 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