DATE : 13 August 2004
Johannesburg NUMSA PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NUMSA TO CONSULT WORKERS OVER WAGE PROPOSALS IN THE MOTOR RETAIL.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) will extensively consult all 180 000 workers in the petrol stations, component manufacturing, car dealer shops and panel beating shops. This comes after the Fuel Retailers Association (FRA) and the Retail Motor Industry (RMI) have tabled new wage proposals. The union will not divulge the details until all workers are fully consulted and discuss the issues thoroughly. The parties will meet again on the 23rd August 2004. In the meantime, the planned strike action on the 1st September 2004 will continue until such time that workers accept or reject the proposals.
The wage talks have taken a different dimension. The union appreciates progress in the talks but there is a need for wider participation of workers. The union cannot ultimately decide for workers. The union respects worker control and it cannot exist without full participation of members. Generally, the talks were impressive and constructive to an extent that employers made changes to their previous positions. So far we were able to close the divide and concentrated on what is best for the industry. The employers came to the meeting with a different mindset and ended their myth and skewed attitude about wages.
We argued strongly that conflict is not undesirable and it is healthy for collective bargaining. Conflict cannot damage relations but it is functional, since it prevents stagnation. Any conflict becomes dysfunctional only if it reaches destructive proportions and employers do not submit to the union demands. We are optimistic that our conflict with motor employers will be balance by level of understanding and cooperation in the meeting on the 23/08/2004. The intricacies of the industry can only be resolved through mutual understanding of the dynamics in the sector. We therefore think that it is the ultimate inalienable right to expressly demand more for workers and shift the balance of forces. We can be able to tighten the screws. It is expressly up to the general members to discuss and deliberate on the proposals put forward by employers. As a union we were very much careful in managing the talks in such a way those workers do not suffer and loose out as consequence of our actions.
We always maintained that in reality, there are serious derivatives that matter in the collective bargaining arrangements particularly in the context of above inflation rate wage increases as to address lower levels of purchasing power, price instability, unemployment and poverty. The inability of workers to actively participate in the consumption of goods and services has resulted in a significantly uneven and underdeveloped home market. The wages must be increased in an optimum level.
It has been our assertion that wages in the industry must be bettered or improved in a manner that will not harm economic growth and the well being of workers. The wages in the industry deviated from the actual practice and have not corresponded with the actual salaries of workers. It is with constant magnitude that the quality of wages in the industry should be improved because they had remained stationery for years.
Numsa’s Demands
q A wage increase of 10% for grade 7 and 8 and 12% for grades 1 and 6.
q R10 per hour minimum wage for all workers.
q Night shift allowance of 20%: afternoon shift – 10%.
q 40 hour per week.
q Three year agreement
q Workers knocking off after 20H00 should get free transport.
q Area wage differentials must be removed immediately.
q Four weeks bonus at the end of 12 months.
For more information or interviews contact Dumisa Ntuli at (011) 689-1700 or 0829737282. website www.numsa.org.za