Should agreements that we conclude this year be for one year, two years or longer? This is the debate that ensued on the second day of the NBC. "With the union's bargaining strategy up for review at next year's national congress, it only makes sense to have agreements running until 2004", said KwaZulu-Natal's Petros Ngcobo.
But other regions disagreed. Wits Central, Mpumalanga and Ekurhuleni were for two years, while Northern Transvaal and Northern Cape/Freestate were for three-year agreements. Although disagreeing, regions converged on the importance to have agreements in different sectors running concurrently.
"Having agreements ending at the same time helps us to build solidarity across sectors", said one delegate.
After long discussions, conference resolved that motor and engineering sectors will demand two consecutive two-year agreements – the first in 2003-5 and secondly in 2005-7.
Auto, tyre and rubber sectors, whose negotiations are only next year, are to go for a 2004-7 agreement. In this way, all agreements will be synchronised and hopefully a basis for solidarity will be laid.
Source
Numsa News