Renewed efforts to end the strike in the metals and engineering sector fell flat after the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) rejected a new offer from the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa).

The parties remained “miles apart” despite an after-hours meeting at the Seifsa offices, in Johannesburg, on Thursday to increase the wage offer and eliminate an initially proposed 50% wage cut for entry-level workers.

The federation offered a 10% wage increase for H-level employees in 2014, followed by 9% and 8% increases in 2015 and 2016 respectively, and an 8% increase for A-level employees in 2014 and 7% increases in 2015 and 2016.

“The 10% adjustment for low-level employees at Rate H represents a 25% move for Seifsa from its previous offer of 8%, while the move from the previous 7% to 8% for higher-level artisans represents a 14% adjustment,” explained Seifsa CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba.

However, the standoff between the union and the employer body continued as Numsa reiterated its demands of a one-year bargaining agreement comprising a 15% across-the-board wage hike and doing away with labour brokers, in addition to a R1 000 housing allowance.

Numsa national spokesperson Castro Ngobese told Engineering News Online on Friday that the union’s demands remain unchanged.

Numsa averred that as long as employers failed to concede, the 220 000-strong strike, now entering its fourth day, would continue indefinitely.

The failure to reach an agreement was “deeply disappointing”, Nyatsumba said.

“The new offer is the very best that Seifsa could make under these difficult economic circumstances and it was sweetened by the federation’s members agreeing to take their demand for a 50% reduction of entry-level wages off the table,” he said.

However, the employer body refused to entertain Numsa’s demands of doing away with labour brokers.

“… there was no way that employers in the metals and engineering sector, which was known for its peaks and lows, would accede to [this],” Nyatsumba stressed.

He expressed concern that the failure to reach an agreement meant that the strike, which was already characterised by high levels of violence, would continue indefinitely, causing even more damage to the economy.

Seifsa said it would continue to hold individual discussions with the other unions involved in the metals and engineering sector, however, it did not have any future meetings planned with Numsa.

RISING VIOLENCE
Meanwhile, the increasingly aggressive strike has drawn criticism from several parties after ongoing reports of intimidation and violence emerged since workers downed tools on Tuesday.

Numsa denied that its striking members were involved in acts of intimidation and vandalism after Seifsa this week condemned the violent behaviour of some of the employees, calling on union leaders to “rein in their errant members”.

Nyatsumba revealed that many employers had reported serious incidents of violence, with some striking workers having broken down factory gates and assaulted people.

“Acts of violence and intimidation have been reported across the country in the past two days, with Gauteng being the most affected province, followed by KwaZulu-Natal,” he said, calling on the South African Police Services (SAPS) to take “decisive action” to maintain order.

Government Communications Minister Faith Muthambi condemned the vandalism to infrastructure and intimidation of other workers allegedly committed by the union members, reiterating that government would not tolerate lawlessness.

"Dialogue must prevail at all times between employers and employees to ensure the realisation of the right to freedom of peaceful disputes for all. Government calls on all parties concerned to reach an amicable and speedy resolution," she said.

South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) CEO Neren Rau also voiced concern about the criminal actions committed by strikers, including property damage, physical assault and animal cruelty.

“These acts are barbaric and is a clear indication that Numsa is either unwilling or unable to control its members. The reported statement by Numsa that the SAPS should not intervene is already dangerously close to propagating sedition and public disorder.

“Their actions call into question Numsa’s commitment to negotiating in good faith,” he stated.

Sacci believed the introduction of compulsory secret strike balloting could have a moderating influence on the otherwise “highly volatile industrial relations”.

“The current strike behaviour further motivates Sacci’s call to review the industrial relations framework, stronger enforcement of discipline during strikes and government intervention in strikes that cause excessive economic costs and instability,” Rau added.

The plastics industry, which recently successfully concluded its own wage deal, on Friday also reported violent strike action by Numsa members.

“Yesterday, various incidents of violence, intimidation and vandalism at plastics manufacturing sites around the country were reported, despite the fact that the industry is excluded from the strike thanks to a wage settlements reached earlier this week between employers’ associations and labour unions,” Plastic Convertors Association of South Africa (PCASA) CEO Johan Pieterse said.

Last month, trade unions and employer bodies in the industry agreed to an 8% salary increase “without the need for lengthy or destructive strike action”.

“Numsa has failed to engage on issues that would have helped the growth of the industry, such as relaxing minimum wages for new entrants. Employers cannot afford the double-digit increase, and it is an unrealistic demand from a sector that has already had to shed 250 000 jobs in the past five years,” Neasa CEO Gerhard Papenfus said.

PCASA on Friday went court to secure an interdict against Numsa and its office bearers, in an effort to stop them from inciting violence in this unprotected strike

However, Numsa slammed the accusations of violence, saying that, since the start of the strike, its members had exercised “high levels of discipline and maturity” in line with the union’s disciplinary Code of Conduct.

“The union’s Strike Committee is satisfied with the overall discipline and performance of our striking members. No evidence has been provided to us to show that our members have acted outside the ambit of the law, or the picketing rules,” the union said.