https://www.engineeringnews.co.za
Business|Engineering|System
Business|Engineering|System
business|engineering|system

New MEIBC agreement guided by inputs from employers’ organisation

30th May 2022

By: Darren Parker

Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

     

Font size: - +

To read the National Employers Association of South Africa's response to this article, click here.  (0.27 MB)
To read the Consolidated Employers' Organisation's response to Neasa's commentary, click here.  (0.09 MB)

The Consolidated Employers’ Organisation (CEO) has secured a “landmark” victory for its members after lengthy discussions with other stakeholders at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC), whereupon a new MEIBC main agreement has been agreed upon.

“The agreement was guided and mandated by a majority of our members who were in favour of the new main agreement,” CEO national collective bargaining coordinator Johann Preiss said in a statement on May 27.

The agreement recognised the fact that small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in the metals and engineering industry had historically been left to struggle because of no small-employer dispensations in negotiations, which resulted in largely unaffordable settlements for small and growing businesses.

The new MEIBC main agreement allows SMMEs to structure in their wages in a multi-phased manner, gradually.

Preiss pointed out that those employer members who still could not afford the new small-employer dispensation or the phase-in dispensation were protected in the new main agreement through a new exemptions policy negotiated by CEO.

Those SMME members will, however, need to submit their exemption applications on dates specified in the agreement.

The agreement with the trade unions and other stakeholders enabled CEO members within the metal and engineering industry to fix their employees’ wages at flat rates of 60% of the 2019/20 industry wage rates without having to implement any increases until June 30, 2024.

Likewise, the agreement was not backdated from July 1, 2021, as other parties had to observe. Preiss said CEO was in a unique position that the agreement was applicable from the date of CEO’s signature on May 27. 

The new main agreement provided for a set standard of working conditions assisting employers – such as an industry grading system, shift work, short time, working-in time arrangements and industry-standard templates, for example.

It was also aimed at providing labour peace, business stability and surety for employers in that trade unions could not negotiate at plant level with CEO members on any issues of wages, working conditions or benefits contained in the new main agreement.

The agreement was to be extended to nonparties, whereby signatories to the new main agreement could enjoy the benefits that the agreement held, and whereby nonsignatory parties would have to apply for an exemption to enjoy these benefits, already gained by CEO for its own members.

Further commentary from the National Employers Association of South Africa and CEO are available in the attached pdf documents.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

Comments

Showroom

Aqs image
AQS Liquid Transfer

AxFlow AQS Liquid Transfer (Pty) Ltd is an Importer and Distributor of Pumps in Southern Africa

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Booyco Electronics
Booyco Electronics

Booyco Electronics, South African pioneer of Proximity Detection Systems, offers safety solutions for underground and surface mining, quarrying,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.077 0.13s - 176pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now