Johannesburg | Thursday
THE strike in the automobile manufacturers industry was set to enter its tenth day on Thursday as late night negotiations between employers and Numsa reached a dead end on Wednesday.
Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (Ameo) representative Dave Kirby said that there were still two key areas which the parties could not agree upon.
He said the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) was still demanding a 12% pay rise while the employer was offering 7,5%.
Kirby said they have offered to pay an additional once-off bonus of R500 to each worker along with the salary increase of 7,5%.
The union still had to decide whether it would accept the offer.
The other key difference between the two parties was a no-claims clause in the wage agreement which prevented the union from embarking on strike action at plants during the period of the agreement.
“Numsa is seeking to reverse that and the employer is adamant not to give that up,” Kirby said.
He said the union would hold feedback meetings on Thursday after which it would report back to the employer.
The strike has almost halted motor vehicle manufacture in the country, and has seen protests, pickets, toyi-toying and walk-outs at BMW, Volkswagen, DaimlerChrysler, Delta, Ford, Nissan and Toyota. – Sapa
ZA*NOW
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