Numsa said on Wednesday that the latest wage offer of 4,1 % by the Steel and
Engineering Industries Federation of SA (Seifsa) is "a spit in the face and
a declaration of war against the workers"
*Numsa slams engineering sector offer*
4,1% is "a spit in the face of workers" and pushes ahead with demands of 20%
across the board
ALISTAIR ANDERSON
Published: 2011/05/25 03:17:06 PM
The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said on Wednesday that the
latest wage offer of 4,1 % by the Steel and Engineering Industries
Federation of SA (Seifsa) is "a spit in the face and a declaration of war
against the workers".
"This clearly demonstrates high levels of malodorous arrogance and sheer
disdain by the engineering oligarchy to improve workers socio-economic
living conditions. It is a well known fact that workers share of the income
has shrunken over the past years due to the high cost of food, electricity,
transport as a result of the neo-liberal policies entrenched and fostered in
our economy and society broadly," Numsa spokesman Castro Ngobese said.
Numsa is demanding a 20% wage increase across-the-board for its members.
Mr Ngobese said "the engineering ruling oligarchy" was also rejecting a
one-year collective bargaining agreement, a total ban of labour brokers in
the industry and a 20% shift allowance.
"These demands are consistent with our federation (Congress of South
African Trade Unions) led campaign for decent work and decent pay for all.
The engineering ruling oligarchy should take our demands seriously without
being irritants," he said.
Seifsa and the metal and engineering sector’s six trade unions are meeting
every Tuesday for the next few weeks to discuss wages.
"Reasonable progress was made at the meeting with the employers and
unions reaching broad consensus on the establishment of an Industry Policy
Forum.
This new forum has been tasked with investigating a number of key
strategic challenges facing the industry – in particular, how to create
sustainable employment within the sector and promote a competitive
manufacturing capability in the domestic and global markets. A number of the
parties’ proposals on the bargaining table have also been referred to this
forum for discussion," Seifsa Executive Director David Carson said.
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