Numsa reiterates demands as it prepares for further negotiations in metals, engineering sector

27th June 2017 By: Anine Kilian - Contributing Editor Online

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has confirmed it will participate in further meetings with employers in the metals and engineering sector to resolve a wage dispute.

Further negotiations will take place on June 28 and 29, and again on July 5 and 6.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Numsa said it has been forced into a deadlock by employers after rejecting their proposed 5.3% wage increase earlier this month.

Numsa reiterated its demand for a 15% increase in wages across the board based on the actual rate that a worker earned, not on the minimum rate. It was also seeking a two-year agreement.

“We also demand the extension of the agreement to nonparties, including the National Employers Association of South Africa,” the trade union said.

Numsa added that employers in the sector wanted a three-year wage agreement and were offering 5.3% across the board for the first year of the agreement, based on the minimum rate, and not the actual rate that workers were earning.