Numsa lowers wage demand Numsa on Sunday said it lowered its wage increase demand to 10%, in a bid to end the strike in the metals and engineering sector. As a union we are ready to end the current strike with a one-year agreement and a 10% increase, National Union of Metalworkers of SAs (Numsa) general secretary Irvin Jim told reporters in Johannesburg. It is not us who is delaying this; it is the employer. He said the union rejected the employers first offer, which it said was an insult. Numsa members in the metals and engineering sector downed tools on July 1 for a salary hike of 12% with effect from July 1, and a R1 000 housing allowance in a one-year bargaining agreement. It originally wanted 15%. The union further wanted a ban on the use of labour brokers. Numsa now wanted a 10% wage increase each year for the next three years. Jim accused employers of misleading the public by suggesting they had given workers a double-digit increase. The truth is that employers want to secure a three-year agreement and they are only offering 10% in the first year. When they made an improvement, it was an offer of an extra 0.5%; meaning the offer of employers is currently 10% for the first year, 9.5% for the second year, and 9% for the third, he said. Jim said the offer was taken to members on Thursday and rejected. Our members are very clear that if employers want a three-year agreement, they must meet workers demand of double-digit increases which should be on an ascending scale. Failing which, our members shall settle for nothing less than 10% for the first year, 10% for the second year and 10% for the third year, he said. Employer body, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA, tabled a three-year wage offer of between 8% and 10% for different levels of workers in the first year. The first category of worker was offered 7% in 2015 and 2016, while the others were offered 9% in the second year, and 8% in the final year. Jim said the strike would continue indefinitely. We are making a very clear statement that the strike continues, and we call on our members to intensify the strike, Jim said. He said should employers continue with what he called reckless shenanigans and unreasonable demands, Numsa would call for targeted solidarity action in all sectors. Article published with the kind courtesy of news24
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 16:14:03 +0000