The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says it is headed for a strike in the motor sector, which is set to affect 306,000 workers nationally.<\/p>\n
Numsa said that it was unable to reach an agreement on a 12% across-the-board wage increase with the Retail Motor Industries (RMI) and the Fuel Retail Association (FRA) after two days of negotiations.<\/p>\n
Numsa represents at least 90,000 employees in the sector, including workers at petrol stations, component manufacturing companies, and car dealerships.<\/p>\n
The FRA made a three-year agreement offer of 4% across the board for all forecourt attendants alongside 3% for cashiers. Numsa said that it could not accept the offer made. The FRA’s offers were made on the ground that Numsa drops all other demands.<\/p>\n
Other demands include:<\/p>\n
According to Moneyweb<\/a><\/strong>, Mark Roberts, a sector coordinator for automotive component manufacturers, said that the real challenge regarding the wage negotiations is that CPI is “just going up and up and up”.<\/p>\n It becomes really difficult to start chasing the CPI, said Roberts.<\/p>\n “We have to try to fix a realistic point at which to settle. What is fundamental to us, as it is for the other big sectors, is to get a multi-year agreement,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Numsa said it would be organising a council meeting in the coming weeks to mobilise and is awaiting a date from the CCMA to deal with picketing rules.<\/p>\n “We are at the mercy of the CCMA and employer. The ball is in their court; they have the power to stop the looming national strike in the motor sector if they put a meaningful offer on the table,” said Numsa.<\/p>\n The FRA’s chief executive officer Reggie Sibiya said that it would not comment on the matter as it is being forwarded to the CCMA.<\/p>\n