The Congress of South African Trade Unions-affiliated Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) says it is optimistic that the one outstanding wage negotiation in the sector should be settled in the next two weeks.
“We are optimistic that the one outstanding negotiation should be resolved in the next two weeks,” said Sactwu’s national organising secretary Wayne van der Rheede.
Sactwu said on Monday that of the nine sub-sectors covered by the National Textile Bargaining Council, seven had been settled, one was still negotiating and one only was to start negotiations in October this year.
“The R33-million achieved in wage settlements so far represents the increase that workers will get over a one-year period, which means this will be paid into and add to the economy in the year ahead,” said Van der Rheede.
Sactwu says textile sector wage settlements to date have averaged between 5,5% and 6%.
Sactwu represents 87% of all bargaining unit employees in the textile industry. — I-Net Bridge