The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the Steel Engineering Industry Federation of SA (Seifsa) are set to begin their first round of wage negotiations on Wednesday.
Numsa said on Tuesday the negotiations would take place amid economic conditions — including high interest rates, high inflation and a stronger rand — that were bad news for the 310 000 workers employed by the industry.
”Employers must expect hard and serious bargaining taking into cognisance that poverty, increasing food inflation, interest rates, rising retrenchments and unemployment continue to slash the wages of workers,” Numsa said.
The union also said it would not settle for low increases.
”Most of the engineering and steel companies have introduced short-term contract work, outsourcing, sub-contracting, in particular by introducing labour brokers into the workplace.
”This deprives workers of their job security, real wages and benefits. Many of our members and other workers are left in a position where they do not participate in the economy as either producers or consumers.”
Among Numsa’s demands are wage increases related to inflation, an increase in retrenchment packages, guaranteed employment in restructured companies and the free provision of anti-retrovirals. – Sapa