Over 15 000 members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in the civil-engineering component of the construction sector began their wage negotiations with the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors, NUM said on Thursday.
”Construction is on an upswing as a result of the massive investment [in] infrastructure development in our country,” Crosby Moni, NUM deputy president said in a statement.
”Given that construction workers, in general, are poorly paid, even though they work under difficult conditions, we would hope the employers would see the need to compensate our members correctly as opposed to just filling their own pockets in this present context of a boom.”
The union’s goals include a 15% wage increase across the board, a R3 000 minimum wage, compared with the current R1 440 for the lowest paid, R10 000 funeral cover compared with the R7 500 currently in place, education, training and development of workers and 10% employment of women.
The next round of negotiations will be on June 13. — Sapa