Johannesburg | Tuesday
THE National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) will on Tuesday canvas members on whether to accept a Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) recommendation that could settle a 16-day-old strike in the automobile industry.
On Monday, the union said the CCMA proposed to it and that Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (AMEO) settle their wage dispute by agreeing to a nine percent across-the-board increase.
Numsa representative Dumisa Ntuli said the CCMA recommended that employers pay an increase of 8,5% backdated to July followed by 0,5% effective from next January with an improvement factor of 0,75% for the second and third years of the contract period.
”This means an actual increase of nine percent across the board. They have further recommended the establishment of a joint industry group that will look at issues around other union demands which relate to the no further claim clause,” he said.
He appealed to workers to attend general meetings at their respective plants on Tuesday to receive a report back from their representatives.
”Our members will evaluate… the recommendations very seriously and the union will announce its decision on Wednesday after a special national executive committee.”
The labour action has almost brought the production of cars to standstill.
Manufacturers affected by the strike, which has included protests, pickets, toyi-toying and walk-outs, are BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota, Delta, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and Nissan. – Sapa