AFTER three weeks of negotiations, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has finally accepted a wage offer of 6%, bringing the strike in the metals and engineering sector to an end.
Numsa secretary general Irvin Jim announced the decision to accept the offer during a press briefing on Thursday.
The trade union had met with the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) on Thursday morning when it accepted the offer based on minimum rates set by the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council Main Agreement.
The agreement was signed on Thursday and will be implemented with immediate effect, said Jim.
The steel and engineering workers will receive backpay to July 01 2021.
Numsa members had embarked on a strike on 5 October.
Jim said that the strike will now end and workers are to return to work from Friday.
The latest day to return to work is Monday, 25 October.
Seifsa CEO Mark confirmed the end of the strike that has affected the metal and engineering sector in the past three weeks.
“We are immensely pleased that the strike is finally over. It is now incumbent on all stakeholders in the metals and engineering sector to work collectively to rebuild and grow the sector,” said Trentini.
“The sector has a very important role to play in the delivery of the government’s ambitious economic recovery programme over the next few years, and that can happen only when a strong partnership exists between business and labour.”
Wages for the three-year period from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2024, will be adjusted, on average, by 5.49%, with a general labourer receiving 6% and artisans 5%, calculated on rand and cents on the scheduled rates.
“We at Seifsa thank each and every employer representative nominated by their respective associations who gave unstintingly of their time to assist and play a crucially important role in the process.
“We are immensely grateful to the Seifsa board, the Seifsa council, the associations and each and every member appointed on the Seifsa negotiating team. The three-year settlement agreement is the fruit of their decisive and collective leadership,” said Trentini
- Inside Politics
