The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is meeting with the Employers in the Plastics sector for the third round of wage talks from the 19th to the 20th of May. The talks are held under the auspices of the Metals Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) and the Plastics Negotiating Forum, which is a sub-structure of the MEIBC.
This is a sector that represents approximately 34 000 workers nationally.
Organizations representing the employer associations are the; National Employers Association of South Africa (NEASA), SA Engineers and Founders Association (SAEFA), Kwa-Zulu Natal Engineering Industries Association (KZNEIA), Plastics, Converters of South Africa, (PCSA) and the Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO).
NUMSA’s core demands are:
- 10% across the board increase on the actual rates of pay
- One year agreement
- We demand a committee to finalize a new grading for the plastics industry
- We demand that the shifts must be reconfigured and once an agreement has been reached, workers must qualify for the allowance from the first shift.
- We demand that area differentials must be removed from the agreement because they are discriminatory. Area differentials basically means that workers who are not based in the major metros like Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban earn less. This is unfair because they do the same work as other workers in the metros and they are subjected to the same conditions, therefore the rate should be the same.
Employers have responded with a 0% increase and they have proposed a 4 year agreement. NUMSA has expressed its disapproval and disappointment with the employers for offering zero whilst simultaneously demanding a multi-year agreement. This is outrageous.
Also, a zero per cent offer means that employers are completely disregarding the cost of living and how this is affecting workers. If implemented, it would be like a long stand-still agreement. It also means that workers will be expected to survive on their meagre earnings, for a long period of time, with no change. This is blatantly unfair.
NUMSA is expecting employers to present a revised proposal which includes a wage offer, and can hopefully settle the negotiations.
ENDS
Phakamile Hlubi-Majola
NUMSA National Spokesperson
0833767725
NUMSA Head Office number: 0116891700
NUMSA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NumsaSocial
NUMSA Twitter account: @Numsa_Media
NUMSA Website: https://numsa.org.za/
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