/ 20 September 2007

‘Good progress’ in talks on motor-industry strike

Talks to end the motor-components industry strike were to resume at 6pm on Thursday, the Retail Motor Industry’s (RMI) spokesperson Jakkie Olivier said.

”We made good progress on Wednesday and we’re set to begin talking at 6pm this evening. I think an agreement is imminent,” he said.

Workers in the motor-components industry went on strike on September 12 over wages.

The RMI has offered a raise of between 8,5% and 10% based on workers’ grading. Numsa is demanding a 9% increase, and a minimum wage of R2 200 a month or R509 a week.

The strike has since seen several motor-manufacturing plants in South Africa closing their doors temporarily as parts have become unavailable. These include Volkswagen, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, Nissan and Toyota.

On Wednesday, Volkswagen South Africa said it was ”on the brink of disaster” because of the strike, MD David Powels. The work stoppage had thus far cost the company a production loss of 500 cars per day.

”The component industry and Numsa [National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa] need to realise that they are holding thousands of people’s livelihoods and the industry’s future to ransom,” MD David Powels said. — Sapa