Solidarity has accepted an offer of a 9% wage increase in the industrial chemical sector, a union spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The agreement followed several rounds of negotiations as well as mediation sessions in the sector of the National Bargaining Council for the Chemical Industry (NBCCI), the union said in a statement.
Solidarity spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans said the agreement was favourable and offered a welcome improvement on employees’ salaries.
”The increase is one percentage point higher than the current level of inflation and may ultimately provide the necessary relief for employees,” he said.
The increase would be implemented retroactively from July 1 this year.
Solidarity said the agreement was reached with various large companies including Afrox, Sasol, Foskor and Omnia.
The companies in this sector are, among other things, responsible for the production of gas, fertiliser, certain types of paint and various chemicals.
The South African Chemical Workers’ Union had also reached an agreement, Solidarity said.
However, it said the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union and the General Industries Workers’ Union of South Africa had not yet reached an agreement.
Earlier this month Solidarity reached a wage agreement in the petroleum sector of the NBCCI.
”Solidarity succeeded in reaching agreements successfully and without any industrial action in both of these sectors,” the union said. — Sapa